How to be the Adult in the Room

Have you ever had a conversation where you felt like ‘kicking yourself’ because you were left feeling a bit like a child? Belittled? Condescended to? Or maybe you had regrets at the end of a meeting because you spent the entire time criticizing your coworkers. Or maybe you’ve seen someone explode in anger and protest against a perfectly reasonable request? Have you ever thought that you were communicating in one way and later learned that you were perceived in a completely different way? Have you ever told someone off and then felt like kicking yourself for it later? Have you ever used the same technique to get what you want from your boss that you used as a child? Do you often find yourself being defensive about your ideas or point of view? Do you feel that you have to take care of too many people who should be taking care of themselves? All these situations are common in that we’ve all seen or experienced them. And most of us have regretted our response in the aftermath because we knew we could have, and should have handled the situation differently. We don’t like how we are viewed in the aftermath by our coworkers, supervisors, clients and customers. No one wants to deal with someone who is perceived as a bully, a baby, destructive, needy, naïve, passive, aggressive or passive aggressive. Learn to be in control of your emotions. Learn to control the outcome of any conversation. Learn to make the choice and commitment to change your behavior to best serve your own needs.