The Good Eggs

So I’ve learned it’s not all about the money and the title. 

What is the most important is being around good, decent people.

I’ve always heard that your relationships are most important.

But it’s not just relationships, it’s also who you are relating to. 

There are good eggs, and there are not such good eggs. 

Don’t get fooled by what’s on the eggshell–that is certainly no yolk. 

Most of eggs know who and what they are. 

Some eggs like to scramble the others. 

Some eggs like to poach on the others. 

Some eggs like to crack the others’ shells. 

But then there are other eggs that like it over easy with the other eggs. 

They all want to get the meal cooked and have it tasty and nutritious, but some eggs just don’t know how to treat others eggs with decency, respect, and integrity.

It’s best to be around those eggcelent eggs, and that is where the best happens and the good eggs gravitate to. 

Be careful what eggs you associate with, because there is nothing that smells worse than a rotten egg. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Mice End Up Dead

So there are three main ways of reacting when in a bullying situation by someone:

1) Passive – You can sit back and take it for now, shutting your mouth and turning off your feelings, maybe even running for safety, as you get temporarily scr*wed, but perhaps maintaining the moral high ground and smartly saving your chips and choosing your battles for the right time and place to set things right and the record straight. 

2) Aggressive – You can fight back, make sure you have a good strategy, but you may nonetheless end up blamed or bloodied, or who knows, maybe you actually win the day, but also you need to be sure to win the war. 

3) Assertive – You can hold your ground, assert your rights, maintain your own opinions, and do what you believe is right, being firm in your self-determination, but you could be reprimanded or punished for not falling in line or best case scenario, you could actually end up being respected for it.

Listen, there is no one right answer, but you need to be a man and not a mouse.

Protect yourself–and as long as you don’t go overboard or act like a jerk–be you, be proud, and don’t let anyone mistreat you. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Got Mic

My daughter went to a cool work seminar yesterday on emotional intelligence and she told me five important takeaways for creating EI health:

1. Self-awareness

2. Self-regulation

3. Self-motivation

4. Effective relationships

5. Empathy

Certainly, exerting self-control and working effectively with others is sort of obvious.

But it is not necessarily easy for everyone to do. 

Reflecting on this, some people seem to need no microphone or megaphone. 

They can’t get off the elevating soapbox and behave instead is as if they are the whole show onto themselves. 

Enjoying to talk alone or above everyone else, maneuvering with drama and theatrics, and being cemented squarely in that center stage.

Perhaps highly intelligent about the subject matter, but often quite low on emotional intelligence. 

Seeing neither the objective nor the team, unable to recognize and respect others or to listen to alternate points of view, it may go on for quite some time before they come up for air. 

Overly extroverted, oblivious, uncaring, or perhaps needy or narcissistic.

Seeming to say, “I was created and stand in the center of the universe and all revolves around me!”

Chasing honor and dismissive as to their way or the highway–threats lurk, right or wrong. 

This is definitely a job for self-improvement and to personal advancement. 

Can EI be learned? 

Perhaps if the person can stop for a sec and just listen and be humbly part of the human race. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

A Pushy B*tch/B*stard

I remember the funny commercials of the vacuum cleaner salesman, who when he didn’t get anywhere with his pushy verbal sales tactics, he would put his foot in the door as the homeowner was trying to close the door on him.

However, pushy doesn’t just get your foot crushed in the door, but typically backfires as a means of convincing anyone of anything. 

If someone says no, as a recent sexual abuse poster said, then the answer is no–an unwanted advance is not wanted, period–get it?

You can’t push yourself into bed with someone non-consensually, and you can’t successfully push a product or service or idea unto others who just really aren’t sold–eventually they will push it right back in your hostile, pushy face. 

It’s one thing to make a sound argument if/when another person is willing to hear you out, and it’s another to push, push, push, and just not take a hint–not interested!

On the show, The Last Kingdom, this past week, the English priest was trying to convince the violent Danish Viking to convert to Christianity–the priest thought that it was working as he continued to work the Viking over, until suddenly, the viking stands up and thrusts a sword through the priest.

Pushiness over!

If you can make a poignant argument for something and influence things for the better by all means try, but if you are just going to act the pushy b*tch, then be ready for the fallout from a non-receptive and eventually hostile audience. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)