Coaching Corner: He did what??!!!
By "Coach" Marilou Butcher Roth
This morning I was making my way to our Board, sipping my coffee and listening to some happy tunes when suddenly a huge truck that was to my right rear honked his horn in such a way that I jumped. Not only did I physically jump but my mind went immediately to “what did I do?†Once I had gone through the checklist of possible wrongdoings and ruled them all out, I noticed that I got angry. “How dare he!†“What a _______!â€â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦I think you get the idea.
Shortly thereafter, he came up closer and I was ready to give him the stink eye when he indicated that my gas tank door was open. What! Yep, he was smiling broadly, clearly quite proud of his good deed for the day and all I could muster at that point was a close lipped, rather weak smile. I felt so embarrassed that I had jumped immediately to the idea that I had done something wrong and then that he had done something even worse!
It's funny now that I am typing it, but I was not amused at the time. What a great reminder it was to me how easily we “assume†we know what someone means by their look or an action. Had I driven faster, I would have held onto that notion that had developed earlier and my day would have been affected had I stayed in that place.
Luckily, it was resolved quite easily! This week, pay attention to your assumptions both at work and at home. If you feel some emotion around something, check out with the other person or persons to see what is true for them. This has proven to be eye-opening for many of my clients. We go into our heads and make up brilliant stories about what we think is happening and many times we may find it just may be the opposite. And, don't forget to shut your gas door next time you fill up! Enjoy!
Marilou Butcher Roth
Marilou Butcher Roth is the owner of The MBR Group, a coaching and training company working primarily with REALTORS who have a desire to work and live from a more inspired place. She is also the Broker/Owner of Group REALTORS in Cincinnati.
Marilou is a member of the Ohio REALTORS Board of Directors and past chairman of the organization’s Communications Committee.
