When leaders tell me they’re frustrated about a situation at work, they also tell me they’re just pushing through and hoping it will go away. For example: the situation where your peer is not including you in a meeting, undermining your position and ignoring your expertise on the matter.
When we don’t set our boundaries, we experience that our values are being compromised. We are treated in a way that we wouldn’t choose to treat someone else. But we often respond reactively and mostly looking at the behaviour of the other. Unless we take ownership and reflect on how we could have dealt differently with the situation, things will not change.
The good news: you do have a choice. You can speak up and follow up with a different response, setting a clear boundary.
We often lack self belief, thinking we cannot change an unwanted situation. We blame the other, who is overstepping our boundaries, convinced they will not change their behaviour. And we accept the situation that doesn’t work for us and we just keep pushing through.
Let’s empower ourselves. Reflect, anticipate and prepare for a more constructive conversation. And surprise yourself, that you will get a different response.👍