Cognitive Triangle Worksheet

A director of operations describes a recurring pattern: when a direct report or peer pushes back on a decision in a meeting, she experiences what she calls a 'trigger' — her voice sharpens, she becomes more directive, and she sometimes dismisses the challenge in front of others. She later regrets it. She attributes the behavior to stress and thinks she needs 'better stress management.' She has not examined what happens between the pushback and the response.

Position this as a gap analysis rather than a self-examination exercise. 'What you're calling a trigger is actually a se...