Colorado has their first Buc-ees
You get in the car, ready for a vacation trip. You take a deep, relaxing breath, pull out your air pods to listen to that book you’ve been meaning to catch up on, and an extended family member makes a politically driven comment or starts spouting narrow viewpoints on the economy.
Oh no…
How to use your leadership tools with family.
Is that possible? Yes! Curiosity, having an open mind, and playing the long game are great tools both in and out of the workplace! Here’s how:
Curiosity: Do not take statements personally. When you do, you’ll get defensive. Remember, when people state something, it is always about them - not you. So, get curious and ask them to share their thinking. This gives you more context for what sparked their comment or if they were simply reading something from a sign they passed. Stop judging. It is a waste of your energy and time.
Open-minded: When you are curious, you start flexing your ability to be more open-minded. This does not mean you change your mind like the wind changes directions. Being open-minded does not mean you have not made up your mind on certain things; it simply means you are open to learning how others see things, what they see, and where their ideas stem from. Being open-minded simply means you are willing to learn.
Playing the long game: When you stop to consider that your family will be with you long after the winds of politics change, you can keep the long game in view. Often, we cannot change others’ experiences, prejudices, or opinions - nor is it our job to. Our job is simply to be our best selves and walk our talk as examples to those in our care. As a leader, you do this every day on the job. You can do this with your family too. Walk your talk. Make sure your actions are loving and kind to maintain relationships for the long haul.
Ready for a road trip!
July 4th found me road-tripping to Red Lodge, Montana, to visit with family and see what the town offered for our nation’s annual birthday celebrations. We were not disappointed! In a town on the pro rodeo circuit, they have a parade and rodeo 3 days in a row. This is common for many rodeo towns, and having 3 littles with us, gathering candy every day from the parades must have felt like heaven. Throw in rodeos every day and pig races at the local steak house and we were in a completely different level of laughter. Seeing these things through the eyes of a 2, 4, and 6-year-old is effervescent and fun. This same desire to appreciate life through the eyes of others can easily be used at work with successful outcomes.
When politics show up…
The ability to be curious helped when 2 out of the 4 generations of family with us made politically driven comments. Instead of offering any opinions, we asked questions. We all used curiosity to find points of agreement, especially with the littles present. Curiosity is a tool. Use it. When used strategically and with intention (you noticed I did not say with judgment or an agenda), you are more open to learning and finding inclusivity points. With a family you love, politics should not divide. Instead, it offers an opportunity to learn - even if it is to learn whether the other is open to any information you find valuable or not.
Economics matter
We are in a year of greater economic attention. With an election looming, I have clients experiencing a change in their clients’ spending, planning, and project commitments. They want to hire the right talent and yet worry they won’t have the work as predicted. It is a chicken and egg dilemma for many watching their budgets and reporting to board members. While I am aware of this within my work, it is interesting to see how the rest of my family discussed the economy given the different generations, stages of life, employment options, and what they were worrying about. Few of my own family members are in the C-suites, and I found it interesting to hear my family concerns versus those of my clients. I am privileged to hear both sides. One of the most interesting viewpoints driving many family conversations this year follows in the TED talk I recommend watching (see recommendation in the July newsletter).