Is Your Boss A Jackal? Learn How To Know Exactly What To Say Or Do In Any Situation
Louise Evans
THE 5 CHAIRS - Owner/Director/Creator @The5Chairs - Transforming Lives with Behavioural, Emotional and Cultural Agility
As a professional, you are likely familiar with the saying, "People don't leave companies, they leave bosses." This couldn't be truer, and navigating a difficult boss can be a real challenge.?
Imagine being a Behavioral Ninja in the workplace and confidently facing any jackal-like behavior! This is The 5 Chairs.
About The 5 Chairs
The 5 Chairs model is a magnificent tool (if I do say so myself) for improving communication by helping us understand our behavior and perspectives, including that of others.?
The Red Chair (Jackal: Attack) represents our tendency to judge and blame others. The Yellow Chair (Hedgehog: Self Doubt) represents our blaming of self and others and fear of rejection. The Green Chair (Meerkat: WAIT) encourages curiosity and mindfulness. The Blue Chair (Dolphin: Detect) helps us to become more self-aware and assertive. Finally, the Purple Chair (Giraffe: Connect) is about empathy, understanding, and deeply connecting with others.
By using the 5 Chairs model, we can become more conscious of our behavior and reactions and choose to respond in a constructive and empathetic way.?Ultimately, the 5 Chairs can help us improve our communication and build stronger, more meaningful connections with the people around us by understanding and respecting different perspectives and experiences.
Is your boss a Jackal?
We've all had bosses who make us want to pull our hair out and some who are a breath of fresh air. Regardless of the type of boss you have, it's important to know how to navigate workplace dynamics and communicate effectively with them and others. That's where The 5 Chairs comes in.
What is a Jackal, exactly?
Think of a Jackal. What comes to mind? A small, cunning, opportunistic scavenger that fiercely defends its territory from intruders.?
The Jackal represents our more judgmental thoughts and hostile behaviors. Their behavior is generally negative, uncivil, unproductive, hostile, and aggressive, bringing toxicity into our workplaces and homes. The list is long and we indulge in many of them regularly!
But before you judge your Boss a Jackal, you might want to examine your behaviors — especially around judgment.
The Attack chair's purpose is often to take control, demonstrate our correctness, and exert power over others. Society's polarized views of good versus bad, black versus white, and intelligence versus stupidity, especially in competitive cultures, feed into this mentality, creating a "you" versus "me" outlook rather than a "we" mindset. This often leads to conflict and separation.?
To combat Attack behaviors, we must carefully monitor our thoughts and language every day.
To Subdue the Jackal, become a "Behavioral Ninja"
Becoming a Behavioral Ninja means having the skills and awareness to effectively communicate with any boss (or any person for that matter), no matter their personality or communication style.?
Below are some skills from The 5 Chairs Intro Course on becoming a Behavioral Ninja:
The impact of using The 5 Chairs in the workplace is significant. The higher the level of toxic behaviors generated, the lower the level of productivity and the greater likelihood of poor morale. By mastering The 5 Chairs and becoming a Behavioral Ninja, individuals can create a positive work environment that fosters productivity, goodwill, and success.
The Jackal and Judgement
Now, dear friends, let's take a look at some judgments and evaluations and transform them into simple descriptions of observable behavior:
Judgment: They completely ignored me in the meeting.
Description: They did not acknowledge or respond to my comments or presence during the meeting.
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Judgment: They're idiots!
Description: They made a mistake.
Judgment: My boss just doesn't care.
Description: My boss has not shown any interest in my particular concern.
What impact does the quality of these two language styles have on you? How do they affect your thinking and feeling about the other person or the situation?
When we use factual rather than judgmental descriptions of people and situations, our perception of reality becomes more accurate. This is useful because we can radically reduce the:
This practice of describing ‘the facts,' and not ‘our facts,' is at the core of any conflict resolution process. It requires vigilance to master, as we’ve had years of training in defensive arts!
What do I do if my boss is a Jackal
If your boss displays toxic behaviors and acts like a Jackal, mastering The 5 Chairs and using factual and observable language can help. You can often take control of the situation and work towards a positive outcome.
However, if the toxic behaviors continue, you may need to escalate the situation to management or seek external support.?
Don’t sweat the Jackal
By understanding The 5 Chairs, you will be better equipped to handle any interaction and manage any workplace dynamics.?
Remember, it's not about changing who you are but rather recognizing the different communication styles and adjusting your style to match. When equipped with the skills and awareness to effectively communicate, you will be on your way to harmony and success at work and beyond.
HOW TO BECOME A BEHAVIORAL NINJA WITH THE 5 CHAIRS INTRO COURSE?
If you're ready to become a behavioral ninja, The 5 Chairs Intro Course is for you. This highly innovative and widely-acclaimed self-paced video course is packed with 22 highly engaging videos, exercises, scenarios, and tips to help you become the master of any situation. The course covers a range of topics, from reducing toxic behaviors, to moving from judgment to observation, facts, and requests, to managing your inner critic.
The 5 Chairs learning journey leads to better self-reflection, self-awareness, self-management, self-expression, and self-actualization. It's an opportunity to step up and take control of your life, your relationships, and your future. So if you're ready to become a behavioral ninja in today's combative workplace, enroll in The 5 Chairs Intro Course today.