It happened again this week, as it does way too often. I was sitting in a leadership coaching session when my client proclaimed “I’ll just distract myself like I usually do.” To some, her solution to being spoken to disrespectfully may sound rather innocuous, it was no biggie. But in reality, distracting ourselves from something that is legitimately upsetting, can lead us to tune out and cut off from understanding the situation at hand, weakening our ability to effectively manage it. When we stay aware of what’s upsetting us, we increase the likelihood that we can become wiser and more strategic in knowing how to deal with it.
Many bosses in workplaces, parents in homes and partners in relationships are unaware of the way they impact other people, including the…