Don’t even think it

This isn’t a post about being mindful or even about how our thoughts control our energy and our energy controls our actions.

Those would be great posts.

This is a post about how people can read your thoughts.

Sadly not the way you need them to.

To get someone over to your way of thinking you still need to master the Jedi mind tricks and no, unless your a moron, they probably didn’t notice you had those thoughts.

What they did notice is what you think about them, as a person.

This is biologically hard-wired stuff.  Humans are exceptional at reading faces and we take in even very subtle data to help us understand each other.  In practical terms, this means that people know when you dislike them and they certainly know when you don’t respect them.

The solution is not really to get better at hiding your annoyance or dislike, but instead, find something to like.  Looking at people as a whole, instead of just in the current context, is a good place to start.

Maybe they have entirely different strengths than you do, maybe they see things differently.  Opening yourself up to understanding different points of view and different sets of strengths, will help a lot, in making you the effective leader you want to be.

Or, barring that, try to do more conference calls with those who annoy you [while finding your happy place], to avoid having to meet them face to face. Whatever you need to do to keep the judgment from your thoughts, is worth the investment.

Let’s just say, that I know how the story ends if you get this wrong, and it’s far from happy.

I wish you all good thoughts for this wonderful long weekend.

________________________

Oh, and to the waitress who handed my 4 year old an extra large glass of strawberry lemonade with no lid, I apologize for not remembering my own advice!