I learned a new phrase this month, “pressure zone.” After reading Temple Grandin’s book Animals
Make Us Human I started looking for pressure zones and I discovered my
familiarity with this fascinating topic.
Here are some examples of pressure zones I’ve noticed:
1. When we work with
cattle we go into their pressure zone to encourage them to move. How we move when we're close enough to be in that zone affects how they
move. For example if you move in front
of a heifer’s shoulder the animal will back up, if you are behind her shoulder
the animal will go forward. Herding dogs work with this zone too. Sometimes our herding dog Indy will even lung at
or nip a heifer that won’t move.
2. Our puppy Archie
likes to chase things too, especially cats.
The cats are learning that if they don’t run he can’t chase them but
like a true herding dog, Archie is learning their pressure zones. They all have different levels of tolerance
before scurrying up the highest point. All he has to do is start in Essie’s
direction, take Gabby’s tail in his mouth, or pin Freddy with his paw and the
race begins. Freddy would be considered the tamest of the cats because his pressure zone is the smallest.
As you can tell, this terminology usually refers to physical space boundaries.
However, as I watch animals interact with each other’s pressure zones I’ve also
been thinking about emotional pressure zones.
I think we can learn something about confronting difficult topics by
comparing that sacred space to this idea of physical boundaries.
Having your pressure zone invaded is frightening. In fact,
disrespecting an animal’s pressure zone to an extreme extent elicits very “poor”
behavior. If I come up behind a heifer
quickly and unexpectedly she will probably kick me. If I corner an animal it will react
aggressively. Those dangerous
circumstances will, at least partially, be in answer to my behavior! I wonder
if it is similar for people’s emotional triggers. Disrespecting each other’s emotional pressure
zones results in what we call “difficult behavior.”
So, does this mean we never engage in conversation around
any topic that sets people off? Does it
mean we never enter each other’s pressure zones?
I don’t think so. Entering pressure zones is about eliciting
change and in many respects having difficult conversations is too. How we go
about it matters.
Have you ever watched a cat sneak up on a bird or
mouse? As the cat gets closer to the
bird they move more slowly and become very intent. Likewise when a herding dog is inside another
animal’s pressure zone it needs to have a job to do; it doesn’t just relax, its
there for a purpose.
Don’t be afraid to engage with people around tense topics
just remember the rules of pressure zones.
When you’re inside the zone:
be respectful
be alert
move slowly
be
gentle
watch for signs of distress
at some point back away
What are topics that
spike your blood pressure; that elicit a reflex like reaction? Are there
specific actions, phrases, or issues that “push your button” so to speak?
Can you tell when you
are invading someone else’s pressure zone? What are some of the signals you
notice?
Sources:
Animals Make Us Human by Temple Grandin
Herding Dogs: Progressive Training byVergil S. Holland
