21 1 / 2010
Putting Out Fires…
That’s all I seem to be doing these days. This week’s count is at 8 different interpersonal conflicts that I either have to sort out or mediate. Which means anybody who gets stuck hanging out with me has to hear my constant bitching.
My apologies to those good friends who are there to listen.
“bitch, be cool!” ~ samuel l. jackson, pulp fiction
I really don’t like to go to war with anyone or seeing others go to war either (despite my previous blog tones). I just want peace and want to be relaxing somewhere.
It really zaps the energy out of you to get two parties to collaborate and work out problems. Some people deal with conflict by simply by using avoidance and sometimes adding passive aggressive behavior that really can irk people further. Others may have huge egos and feel like they have to force ultimatums (which is can be really bad if the other side has huge egos also). So half my week goes to pulling teeth to get people to talk or fanning people down so they quit yelling and in both cases to see if they can come to some kind of compromise and give a little.
I found this awesome list awhile back from a old Crispin Porter Handbook that I use as the 10 commandments for values in terms of working with each other at my company:
PLEASE DON’T •Sabotage •Self-Destruct •Talk $#!+ •Duck Responsibility •Play the busy card •Leave others hanging •Make excuses •Disappear •Make promises you can’t keep •Say it can’t be done
If only everybody followed it so everybody can just be chill. =)
