The High Road

Last night was the first Presidential debate. I watched it, like many of you, and couldn't believe what I experienced. I walked away feeling exhausted from watching, trying to process, reconcile and problem solve my thoughts, feelings and worries.

At one point, I thought to myself, "Wow, if I acted like that in a business meeting, I'd be fired." Yet here we are, one of the two candidates will be our President.

The High Road. It's a simple concept, really. So, so difficult to execute.

I love this Thomas Jefferson quote:

Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances.

In my professional life over the last year, I've seen people take jabs whenever they can get them. Sadly, they've been a right hook from a past coworker or a knock out from a friend. My immediate reaction is to defend, argue, overexplain and even shut down. But thank goodness I received emotional intelligence coaching not that long ago.

I am reminded that everyone has a story. Everyone's journey is different. I cannot predict what would cause someone else's action (or reaction), thus, I should also not take the action so personally. There is something causing the reaction we see and if we learned anything from the debate, it's that emotions and low roads rarely deliver a successful result. Stooping to the low road just wouldn't result in the outcome I'd be hoping to achieve, either.

If you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness,

don't sacrifice your class to get even.

Always take the high road.