Stressful times create emotional turmoil.
Emotional conflict on the team always hurts and often harms.
Leadership includes managing emotion, both your own and others’.
How to Show Up During Emotional Turmoil:
#1. Always show up to serve the best interest of everyone.
Emotional turmoil is fertile ground for misunderstanding, anger, attack, defensiveness, resentment, backstabbing, and more. People are tempted to claim the high ground, serve themselves, and disadvantage others.
Never disadvantage anyone on your team, ever.
Always work for the advantage of everyone on your team, without exception!
Rise above the sandbox.
Mommy asks, “Why did you hit your sister?”
Tommy cries, “She hit me first.”
- If someone backstabs you, you aren’t free to backstab them, ever.
- If someone lies to you, you aren’t free to shade the truth for personal advantage, ever.
- If someone doesn’t like you, you don’t have permission to disadvantage them, ever.
Serving others isn’t about who is good enough to be served.
What possible reason would you give to serve the worst interest of anyone?
Serving others is about your heart, not how worthy others are.
The color always splashes on you when you paint someone with the unworthy brush.
What if:
At this point you might wonder, “What if someone lies, steals, or causes harm?” How do you serve their advantage?
- Confront with kindness and compassion. You serve people well when they see their wrong.
- Protect the innocent. Don’t let child molesters work in daycare, for example.
- Bring consequences for actions. It’s always good for for people to take responsibility for their actions.
Serving the best interest of others might include negative consequences. (But – when appropriate – don’t rush to the whip.)
Pride:
Serve in ways that would make you proud if your attitude and actions were printed in the newspaper, especially during emotional turmoil.
Stay tuned for more…
How would you like to show up during emotional turmoil?
What should you avoid during emotional turmoil?
Bonus material:
Dealing with the Emotional Aspects of Conflict (Harvard Health)
Workplace and Emotional Conflict (Healthy Mind Works)
Resolving Team Conflict (Mindtools)
