03/15/2024

Eight Ways to Avoid Exploding at Work

Here are a few ideas to consider

On a recent train ride, my husband struck up a conversation with a fellow passenger who was a banker. They talked about the work they do and their families. When my husband mentioned that I am an executive coach, the banker smiled and said, "I had a coach last year. I miss my coach so much!" He went on to explain how he had worked with an executive coach as part of a leadership development program and had had the opportunity to continue his coaching for almost a year. "I could tell my coach anything," he said. "It was great to have someone I could talk to unfiltered and not worry about how it might be perceived. Coaching was my relief valve."

We all need a relief valve – that place or that person we can go to to vent, blow off steam, say whatever we need to say, ask the stupid question, talk through a tough situation, or just whine and complain for a while. Having a non-judgmental sounding board can help you to sort through an issue, express your fears, be safely inappropriate if necessary, and ultimately move toward a positive outcome.

Most of us can think of the person we worked with who wore their stress on their sleeve (and on their face), who was known for having temper tantrums, or for blowing up in front of everyone and then trying to repair the damage later. And most of us don’t want to be that person. Yet the stress and constant pressures that many of us feel at work can build, and we need a relief valve to help us avoid getting so worked up at work (or at home) that we do something that hurts our relationships, our reputation and our work.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Chatsworth Consulting Group.