A few years ago, I found myself in the “hot seat” as a contestant on the game show, 100K Pyramid hosted by Michael Strahan. After it aired, I had so many people telling me what clues I should have given, what I should have done differently, and how I could have been better at the game.
Perspective is everything. When we are in the moment or the “hot seat” our emotions can take power over us and sometimes it’s easier to make mistakes. Add a live audience and some bright hot lights and that makes you even more nervous. I have media trained people for years, but when you are on a national game show with millions of people watching, it’s easy to forget even your own tips.
Everyone thinks they can play the game better than you, until they have to sit in that winner’s circle.
Have you ever found yourself easily judging your colleagues, your boss, or even your friends and family without knowing all of the information? When we do this without asking questions or truly understanding the entire situation, we create conflict in our minds. When we verbalize our feelings because we are so sure we are right, we risk hurting others without knowing all of the details.
Try to put yourself in someone else’s shoes (or hot seat) before judging them or coming to the conclusion that you could have done better. You have no idea what you would have said at that exact moment. Be curious. Ask questions. Collaborate on a project that went wrong and figure out how you can do a better job together – learning from a deeper understanding of past mistakes.
>> Learn more at the webinar: Resolve to Evolve with EQ: How Soft Skills Help Tackle Hard Situations
Sometimes we have more questions than answers and that’s not failure – that’s curiosity that helps us grow and makes us successful. It’s OK to make mistakes and having more empathy for those that do, will allow you to win more rounds of the game of life.
Side note: I may have only won $5,000 on that game show, but I made friends that I’ll have for a lifetime, because all of the contestants supported each other through the process. When you have a more positive team environment using empathy and listening skills, you’ve already won the game. Register here to learn more about the importance of emotional intelligence and how you can improve your skills.
Written by Heather Zell
