Crucial Learning

Dear Crucial Skills,

I was unexpectedly called into a meeting with senior leaders and colleagues who criticized a new process I had introduced. The conversation became heated, and I felt unprepared, cornered, and reactive, especially as they challenged the process without notice or supporting facts. Feeling overwhelmed, I agreed to their request despite believing the approach was inappropriate. Although they later apologized, I’m still upset and unsure how to move forward, given that they ultimately got what they wanted. How should I handle this now?

Signed,
Mistreated

Dear Mistreated,

Workplace interactions can be tough, and this situation is no exception. I’m sorry you’re feeling mistreated, and I respect you for reaching out for help in a tricky situation. I’ll be candid, though—what follows may not be exactly what you’re hoping for, because it will ask you to look at your own role, not just theirs.

As I consider your situation, I see two things happening that lead to an outcome. First, senior leaders and colleagues didn’t behave as well as they could have. Second: you didn’t behave as well as you could have. The outcome was that a decision was made that presumably sits well with them but not with you. Since the outcome derived from the intersection of their behavior and your behavior, let’s consider both of those inputs.

Read the rest:

Caught Off Guard, and Trying to Recover | Crucial Learning Since the outcome derived from the intersection of their behavior and your behavior, let’s consider both of those.

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