During the ICF conference held in London, England a few years ago I took some time to explore the city. In the Churchill Museum gift shop I was intrigued by the post cards, “Keep Calm and Carry On”. It seemed to be the mantra of the Londoners during the bombings of World War II. Wanting to know more, I sought out the origin of this simple yet profound slogan. In late 1939 after the outbreak of the war, the Ministry of Information was tasked with designing a number of morale boosting posters to be displayed during the trying times ahead. “Keep Calm and Carry On” was the third poster in the series and was never actually officially seen by the public during wartime.

Since that time and with a resurgence during the 2012 summer Olympics, the slogan, “Keep Calm and…” (you supply the rest) has appeared in countless contexts. Keeping calm allows leaders to call more on their internal resourcefulness rather than allowing their thinking brain to be hijacked by the adrenaline-producing drama of the moment. As coaches, we know to focus more on visioning, thinking and planning and less on the drama.

Recently, a group of educators employed the idea in the creation of a group poster. “Keep calm. I’m a Coach (not a fixer)”. Coaches — novice to expert — have skills necessary to calmly stay present, focused and intentional in even the most trying circumstances. Coach leaders know that their calm and full presence will serve them well as they choose leading first with their identity of coach.

What will your inner voice say to you in the unexpected urgency of unavoidable trying times?

What steps will you take to become more resilient, knowing you want to respond rather than react?

How will your calm and thoughtful responses impact the culture of your school or office?