Red. Green. Yellow.
Knowing our windows of tolerance can help us navigate our stress and burnout. Coach Jerry Colonna’s simple “red-green-yellow” tool helps the leaders I coach apply this concept in their everyday lives.
Colonna’s framework asks us to think about where we are at the moment, whether we’re getting ready for a big meeting, digging into some work we’ve been procrastinating on, or helping our kids with their homework.
And then we imagine ourselves in front of a traffic light.
If we’re feeling safe and grounded, comfortable in our bodies, and ready to tackle the task at hand—that is, if we’re within our window of tolerance—we say we’re green. Good to go.
If we’re feeling too overwhelmed, tired, hungry, or drained to deal with what we’re trying to do, or if we’re feeling really frustrated, angry, or anxious, we say we’re red. We’re outside our window, and we need to stop to take care of ourselves.
And if we’re not sure where we happen to be at that moment, or if we feel we’re in between red and green, we say we’re yellow. We need to proceed with care, because we could go either way. We don’t necessarily need to hit the brakes, but we should go a little more slowly than we would when we’re in green. Because forcing ourselves can push us straight to red.
Red-green-yellow works well for group check-ins, too. We can start meetings or conversations by inviting people to give their status, with the following caveats:
We need to give permission to opt out of the exercise if they’re not comfortable.
We need to refrain from probing any deeper to understand why they might be feeling as they are.
And most important of all, we need to resist the temptation to “advise” or “fix” anyone who doesn’t give the “right” (i.e., green) answer.
We’re simply giving people the freedom to say how they might be doing. As leaders, we can always follow up privately if we need to.
Making space for this information can transform groups in any number of ways. Inviting people to check-in with themselves allows them and everyone around the table to recognize where they are and what they might be needing.
Being free to reflect on how we’re doing and, most important of all, being free to say how we’re doing without fear of being shamed are essential for psychological safety.
Knowing this information can tell us, as leaders, whether we need to tread more softly or go more slowly this morning than we would normally do. We might need to change our plans and wait until everyone—including us—is green.
Coaching can help you foster psychological safety for your team and yourself. Want to learn more? Book your free Discovery Session here.
