Like so many, perhaps including you, I dabble on social media and chat with friends and colleagues. Even more so during the COVID pandemic, since seeing friends in person wasn’t an option. I generally keep it light and fun with family and travel topics. For the most part, I avoid political discussions. But sometimes, I can’t sit still and keep quiet.
Such an event occurred recently, involving a friend of over 20 years. It was a political topic, and from my perspective, he was flat out wrong – to the point of being dangerous. I asked myself, “What is Fred (not his real name) thinking? This is crazy!” We exchanged a few comments with one another and with others who were on the thread. Suddenly, I noticed that it began to upset me. I thought of a pointed response but chose to hold off until later. “I’ll get to this tomorrow,” I told myself. This was one of those instances where I wanted to be careful with how I responded to Fred’s remarks. “Fred may be misguided,” I thought to myself, “ but we’re still friends.”
The next day, I chatted about the exchange with Rodger Bland, the Managing Editor of GEARS Magazine. You see, Rodger is also friends with Fred. He commented, “I agree with your take on this but guess what? Every exchange we have with people either gives us energy or takes it away. Which of the two does your discussion with Fred do?” I said, “It’s absolutely draining!” Right then, I had my answer. I dropped my thoughts of responding to Fred and refocused on projects and work that gave me energy. I noticed my disposition improving immediately.
Has this ever happened to you? Sure it has. I think it’s pretty normal, to a point. The trouble is, how far do we take it, and how much do we allow others to derail our attention from meaningful activities? How much do we allow others to influence our attitude, ultimately affecting our exchanges with others, and what might a change in our attitude accomplish? That is, how would our day look if we weren’t diverting our attention to meaningless distractions?
I once expressed this thought in an article, “Beating your competition may not be so difficult when you consider how much time they spend on social media.” And spending a year in isolation due to COVID has only made it worse.
As we move toward a more normal life, we’ll likely face a range of interpersonal challenges. The process for establishing our “new normal” starts with you. Put your mask on first before helping others. Make sure you’re back in the game before directing your team. I became sidetracked in thought for a brief moment, but a simple statement of clarity got me out of it. Thanks, Rodger.
As we think about getting back to normal, I’m excited to share that we’re planning a live Expo this fall in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’ll be great to see my friends and colleagues again, and I’m looking forward to sitting in on the training. Speaking of which, Rodger is presenting a program on after-COVID work/life balance. Rodger brings a perspective to our thoughts on everyday challenges, whether about our businesses or life in general. If this sounds intriguing, then make sure you get there early for a front-row seat. I’ll be there with you, taking notes.
