Practical Techniques

Technique 1: Identify and Name the Crisis Skills Explicitly

Discuss the specific skills observed during high-pressure situations:

• “During that power outage, you were amazing at prioritizing tasks. How did you decide what needed doing first?”
• “I noticed how you delegated responsibilities clearly when the basement flooded. What was your thought process?”
• “You stayed incredibly focused on the main problem during that emergency. How do you filter out distractions like that?”

Naming the skills makes them tangible and available for conscious application elsewhere.

Technique 2: Explore Analogies Between Crisis and Daily Challenges

Draw parallels between emergency scenarios and everyday situations:

• “Could the way you planned steps during the outage help us plan this upcoming vacation itinerary?”
• “Remember how you assessed the risks quickly in that situation? How might we apply that kind of thinking to this financial decision?”
• “The clear communication you used then could be really helpful in coordinating these family chores.”

Analogies help transfer skills from a specialized context to broader application.

Technique 3: Apply Crisis Principles to Proactive Planning

Use the mindset observed in emergencies for preventative or routine tasks:

• “Let’s ‘scenario plan’ for potential issues with this project, like you do in emergencies.”
• “How would you ‘triage’ these household tasks based on urgency, like you did during the crisis?”
• “Can we apply that ‘gather information first’ approach you used then to researching this purchase?”

Framing everyday tasks using crisis management principles can make them more engaging and structured.

Why These Approaches Work

These techniques work because they:

• Make unconscious competencies conscious and transferable.
• Provide concrete connections between different types of challenges.
• Leverage existing strengths (crisis management skills) to address areas of difficulty (routine planning/execution).
• Reframe mundane tasks in a way that might better align with their processing style.

Respect Different Operating Modes

Recognize that some individuals genuinely operate differently under pressure versus in routine situations. The goal is gentle skill transfer and awareness, not forcing someone to be in “crisis mode” constantly. Some may find routine tasks inherently less motivating or engaging.

Additional Considerations

• Focus on one or two key skills at a time rather than trying to translate everything.
• Acknowledge that the adrenaline of a crisis provides focus that isn’t present in daily life.
• Celebrate small successes when crisis skills are successfully applied to everyday situations.
• Consider whether underlying issues like ADHD might contribute to the discrepancy between crisis performance and routine functioning.

Related Tips & Concepts

See also: Learning From Crisis Calm, Understanding Crisis Calm