Handling Friends That Are Grieving

Summary

• When someone is grieving, ask if they want to be consoled or distracted. It can help them process their feelings better.
• From my experience, most people prefer distraction over consolation when they're dealing with loss.
• Providing a distraction can involve talking about business strategies or any other topic that takes their mind off their grief.
• Remember that sometimes the best support you can offer is to help them feel alive and engaged in something meaningful.
• A two-and-a-half-hour conversation about business strategy was highly appreciated by a CEO who had just lost his father. It helped him cope with his grief.
• Always be ready to adapt your support based on what the person needs in their moment of crisis.

Video

How To Take Action

I would suggest implementing some simple approaches to support someone who is grieving, based on my experience. First, always ask the person if they prefer to be consoled or distracted. This question allows them to express what kind of support they need, which is crucial when they are dealing with challenging emotions.

A good way of providing distraction can be to engage them in a topic they are passionate about or discuss business strategies, if relevant. This helps shift their focus away from their grief and makes them feel engaged and alive. For instance, talking about future projects or brainstorming new ideas can be a great way to distract them.

If you run a business or are an entrepreneur, you can use this strategy with your team when they are going through tough times. Spending a couple of hours discussing work-related topics can be highly valuable and appreciated. For examples, you can ask them to share their thoughts on current projects or upcoming plans. This not only provides a meaningful distraction but can also help keep the business moving forward.

Always be adaptable in your approach. Some days, the person might need more distraction than others, so be ready to adjust based on what they need in the moment. Remember, the goal is to offer support in a way that helps them feel less burdened by their grief.

These steps are low-cost and require minimal time but can make a significant difference in helping someone cope with loss.

Full Transcript

so we had a portfolio CEO his dad died suddenly really close to his dad so he calls and he's he's like mying dad just died like I don't I don't know to do and I'm the first person he calls and I was like holy and I was like first question you want me console you or distract you he's like holy distract me like I haven't been able to think about anything we end up talking for like 2 and 1 half hours about the business we go into the strategy like I'm just talking about anything I can at this point and then he sent me a text after he was like that was honestly the best thing anyone could have ever done for me like let's go do something to remind you that you're not dead do you want me to console you like feel bad for you and like be here with you or do you want me to distract you and literally every single time I've never had anyone answer opposite they go pleaseing distract me I'm so sick of beinging sad and it's like you know it happened