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Why Getting Pushy Has a Price π
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Hey Reader - Once I was asked to lead a cross-group project to fix a broken process. By the time the team formed, the workflow was so busted that everyone was happy about a refresh. I thought my Lead would be thrilled to hear how quickly we pinpointed the gaps and adjusted. That's why her opening gotcha question of, "Who's the bad guy here?" threw me off balance. I'm not normally at a loss for words, but I was stunned. Suddenly, her problem-solving narrative became clear: "Find the bad guy. Pin it on them. And my work here is done." However, making demands and blaming others isn't much of an achievement! Cultivate Partners, Not ScapegoatsAs I scrambled for an answer, I remembered advice from a stellar Project Manager: "Conflict delays the process." The reality was that there was no bad guyβ there were just a bunch of people who had inherited an archaic approach and were trying to make the best of it. Trying to find the bad guys would have only added unnecessary intensity, anger, and resentment to an already loaded situation. We needed partners, not scapegoats. In fairness, everyone wants quick solutions when the clock is ticking. However, as a dealmaker, I saw how getting pushy has a price. For every person who boasted, "I didn't give them a choice," there was someone on the other side who was aggravated, alienated, and lying in wait to settle the score. Like Winter, payback is coming! The alternative to navigating projects like Game of Thrones is to envision yourself as part of a band. Musicians in successful bands are clear about their role, recognize others' contributions, and don't hassle the crew. Those habits are also how to become a rock star at work because hey, everyone loves the person who makes life a little easier! 7 Ways to Be a Rock Star Problem-SolverMaking life easier was a critical learning for Deborah Tuggle, owner of Bite Me! Cookies. If you ask about the key to her success, she'll highlight people, then mention their product line and how they produce 15,000 cookies an hour. Tuggle noticed how many of her job applicants were recent American immigrants. Deb realized that learning the machines was only step one. On-the-job effectiveness also required breaking down the language barrier. So, her light bulb moment was to keep employees on-site by offering English classes. Eventually, the curriculum expanded to include essential tools for assimilation, such as social skills and computer courses. βDeb believes, "So long as you honor people and meet them where they stand, they'll be good to you. We want to make a difference. We're trying to make it happen, one cookie at a time." Everyone has dilemmas about how to partner to get things done. That's why it's worth honing the marketable competencies Deborah Tuggle uses, such as excellent judgment, compassion for others who might be struggling, and using your natural creativity to operationalize details. So, put tired tactics like blaming and binary good/bad thinking on the shelf. If you're ready to build lasting relationships to make problem-solving easier and faster, here are ideas + a customizable AI prompt: Finding smart solutions is tough on a good day, so don't make it harder by adding attacks and accusations. In its place, develop the ability to marshal the right people at the right time, and you'll handle challenges like a rock star. All the best, Michelle Mains Keep the Soul Boss inspiration going!
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Soul Boss Soft Skills
Don't leave your career to chance. Skill up with inspiring tips, tactics, and affirmations and become the creative, wise CEO of your life. One mail a week. Always free.
Hey Reader - After decades of marriage, Broadway star Mandy Patinkin and his wife Kathryn Grody know a little something about conflict. On their podcast Don't Listen to Us, Grody complained how splashy celebrity weddings give people the impression that marriage is a series of Instagram moments. More often, the daily grind is filled with differences of opinion, hard conversations, and working to find the middle ground. And here's one more tip no one tells you: There's usually more to the...
Hey Reader - You may know Danny Trejo as a sinister villain in movies like Machete, but he's a big softie off camera. It wasn't always like that. After a rough start in life including stints in prison and solitary confinement, Trejo joined a 12-step program and embraced sobriety. Recovery wound up being the steppingstone to his acting career. After helping someone on the set of "Runaway Train," Danny was offered the chance to be on camera. Reflecting back, Danny says, "Everything good that...
Hey Reader - In an office reshuffle, I wound up sitting next to a colleague who gave me a masterclass in Zen. I'm a "fired up, ready to go" person, but her conduct showed me that every conversation isn't worth that level of heat. The interesting part is that her clients weren't the best of the bestβthey were real characters. They kept running game, however, she stayed frosty and took things in stride. In the February series, Relationship Threshold Questions, weβre discussing how to use soft...