Pam was proud of herself. Her perception of her career and relationship with her coworkers was at an all-time high. She joined the firm 3 years ago and had worked hard to advance quickly to team lead. She felt appreciated, confident, and optimistic about her future. That almost came crashing down, the Monday after returning from a big sales convention.
Lisa was also a rising star in the company, but she often felt inadequate and self-conscious. Lisa had worked hard to create a presentation for the sales convention. Pam, her supervisor, even complimented her effort. Lisa’s own emotions coupled with her implicit bias toward Pam, led her to think the worst of her supervisor. Lisa always felt Pam was out to get her.
Lisa never mentioned how she felt during the trip. Rather than addressing her own feelings and emotions at the time, she let them fester. When they returned from the convention, Lisa complained about Pam up the chain of command all the way to the company director.
Meanwhile, Pam returned from the trip feeling positive and enthusiastic. She had been working on her personal development with a life and spiritual coach to take control of her emotions and direct positive energy in her life.
She was caught off guard by the accusations when confronted by upper management on Monday morning. Pam had only complimented Lisa and wondered why an apology had been demanded. 
Positive Outcomes
Pam remained calm when approached by the company director. She didn’t fire off an angry email to Lisa, nor get defensive. She didn’t let negative thoughts or emotions impact her response to the director. She used the techniques she learned with her coach to calmly share the circumstances from her point of view. After conversations with the director and Lisa, the miscommunication was cleared.
Many times a misread, bias, or being misunderstood can lead to negative emotions, thoughts and actions.
“Breaking Out: Changing Thought Patterns for Success” is a free interactive webinar that examines how thought patterns impact the decisions you make, how to reach your full potential, and how to overcome roadblocks to success. The event will be hosted on Zoom on June 8, 2021 at 7pm MST. To learn more or to register, visit transformwithroz.com.
