Bring Relationship Intelligence to Thanksgiving

The CFA cows recently spoke out about their frustrations with turkey as a beef substitute outside Thanksgiving. As one cow stated, “Turkey needs to stay in their lane. We don’t need turkey bacon, turkey burgers, turkey spaghetti. Enough already!” The cows went on to explain their concerns with turkey taking over the dinner table outside of Thanksgiving. 

While normally a champion of beef substitutes like chicken, the CFA cows cited a recent fallout with their Angus, Hereford and Kobe families, that has changed their tune about eating beef. A representative from the Angus family stated, “Those CFA cows are actually dairy cows. Nobody’s gonna eat those scrawny things. I’m tired of them representing the beef community. Stop speaking for all of us!”

A beef between beef. Go figure. At Insight, our mission is to help leaders love life at work and love life at home. While we recognize that there is no substitute for spending time with family at Thanksgiving, we also acknowledge that we’d like to substitute the tension at family gatherings. 

Past experiences with certain family members, either good experiences or bad ones, create expectations for the next time you gather with those specific loved ones. If your past experiences were bad, the stage is set for potential tension and conflict. Perhaps you sense it with that worrisome feeling you have in the pit of your stomach as you approach the door, casserole in hand. 

If you anticipate a negative or tense experience this Thanksgiving, would you be willing to dig deeper into that relationship? Seek to understand how they are wired up, what motivates or drives them. Evaluate your own MVS (Motivational Value System - if you’ve taken the SDI 2.0) in comparison to your family member(s). Might this be an opportunity to recast that past experience with your new understanding? It could be the differences you have are simply a matter of what motivates you vs. what motivates your family member. Then, decide to master the moment and bring the right strength to your Thanksgiving celebration.

Perhaps, you don’t anticipate any tense relationships at your Thanksgiving gathering. If so, that’s great! Enjoy the turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, rolls, and every other carb attached to the season. May the football and football (world cup) gods smile upon you and your team, unless you are playing my Cowboys. Regardless of what the CFA cows think, I welcome the turkey come Thursday!!
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A few tips:

• Download the Core Strengths app and pull it out when you need to find a way to reframe your conversation at the family gathering.

• Remember to be grateful in the midst of what is frustrating.

• Remember to watch to cheer for the Cowboys!

• Remember to watch the World Cup.

• Call us next week to keep your development journey rolling.

Keep in mind, if you are exhausted and drained at work, then you’re probably not at your best when you get home. Certainly, that could have implications for your Thanksgiving celebration. Consider one or more of the following to improve your leadership so that you can love life at work and love life at home.
 
Three Opportunities to Consider [learn more: ryan@insightlg.com]

1. Our next Courageous Leaders Executive Experience to help leaders rest, think and prepare to lead well is around the corner. Distilled coming March 8-10, 2023. See more info below.

2. Executive Development: Sign up for executive coaching.

3. Manager Development: Register your managers for our Courageous Manager’s Virtual Cohort launching in the Spring 2023. Watch for new dates coming soon.