Match Your Role to the Situation

I recently had the opportunity to observe a perfect example of matching a role to a situation. The surgeon I met gave us his credentials, explained why he was the best person to perform the surgery, made us feel comfortable, and confidently mentioned that the surgery was tricky so he would know more during the surgery.

As a volcanologist, I used to do outreach for the U.S. Geological Survey. One of my roles was to answer questions about volcanoes. A typical request would be that someone wanted reassurance that Yellowstone wasn’t going to erupt while their granddaughter, niece, or friend was visiting. These questions brought out the scientist in me as I pondered what extreme circumstance might arise to cause a large eruption six months in the future. The people asking the question wanted me to predict the future not provide an analysis and decision tree.

The way the surgeon spoke matched my needs. He was acting with power as he explained his credentials to set status, told us he would provide the best outcome, and left an out because he can’t predict everything.

How are you acting and thinking with power in the roles you play?