ATD Blog
Give Others (and Yourself) a Second Chance
Thu Mar 08 2018

Content
Consider the following scenario…
Consider the following scenario…
Content
Rhonda was a highly competent professional hired at a company to run their training department. With her “new set of eyes,” she saw areas for improvement within their HR department and leadership roles. Even though she had set up a successful leadership training program, she grew increasingly frustrated with the HR department and upper management’s hesitancy to look at developing some strategic plans. Rhonda started alienating herself from HR and a few supervisors due to her comments and apparent frustrations. She left the company after two years even though she liked her job, its responsibilities, and the flexibility it offered that allowed her to be with her family.
Rhonda was a highly competent professional hired at a company to run their training department. With her “new set of eyes,” she saw areas for improvement within their HR department and leadership roles. Even though she had set up a successful leadership training program, she grew increasingly frustrated with the HR department and upper management’s hesitancy to look at developing some strategic plans. Rhonda started alienating herself from HR and a few supervisors due to her comments and apparent frustrations. She left the company after two years even though she liked her job, its responsibilities, and the flexibility it offered that allowed her to be with her family.
Content
What happened with Rhonda? Did she expect too much too soon? Did she not develop trust?
What happened with Rhonda? Did she expect too much too soon? Did she not develop trust?
Content
How do you interact with other people in your professional life? Have you ever walked away from a conversation with someone and said to yourself, “I just don’t understand that person”?
How do you interact with other people in your professional life? Have you ever walked away from a conversation with someone and said to yourself, “I just don’t understand that person”?
Content
It is natural for us to have moments in our lives when we question our ability to effectively interact with others. Relationships can be complicated. We may hurt ourselves more by hanging onto moodiness, loss of confidence, resentment, anger, and other distress, ultimately victimizing ourselves in the following ways:
It is natural for us to have moments in our lives when we question our ability to effectively interact with others. Relationships can be complicated. We may hurt ourselves more by hanging onto moodiness, loss of confidence, resentment, anger, and other distress, ultimately victimizing ourselves in the following ways:
Content
We refuse to correct mistakes because our egos get in the way.
We refuse to correct mistakes because our egos get in the way.
Content
We let others get under our skin.
We let others get under our skin.
Content
We focus blame on others.
We focus blame on others.
Content
We permit our emotions to go unchecked.
We permit our emotions to go unchecked.
Content
We replay a conflict in our mind and hold a grudge.
We replay a conflict in our mind and hold a grudge.
Content
Here are actions to move out of the victim role:
Here are actions to move out of the victim role:
Content
If the relationship is important to you, ask, “What will it take to repair it?”
If the relationship is important to you, ask, “What will it take to repair it?”
Content
Take time to self-reflect about your intentions.
Take time to self-reflect about your intentions.
Content
Ask yourself, “Is my perception of this situation wrong?”
Ask yourself, “Is my perception of this situation wrong?”
Content
Give the other person the benefit of the doubt.
Give the other person the benefit of the doubt.
Content
Forgive quickly, and move on.
Forgive quickly, and move on.
Content
Positive attitudes in the workplace are significant in setting the culture in the following ways:
Positive attitudes in the workplace are significant in setting the culture in the following ways:
Content
Productivity: Improved attitudes in the workplace will help employees become more interested in their job performance.
Productivity: Improved attitudes in the workplace will help employees become more interested in their job performance.
Content
Teamwork: Arindam Nag sums up the benefit of teamwork perfectly: “A positive attitude helps employees to appreciate each other achieving common objectives instead of being overly perturbed by inadequacies of team members.”
Teamwork: Arindam Nag sums up the benefit of teamwork perfectly: “A positive attitude helps employees to appreciate each other achieving common objectives instead of being overly perturbed by inadequacies of team members.”
Content
Motivation: When an employee feels motivated at work, they will want to share that motivation with others.
Motivation: When an employee feels motivated at work, they will want to share that motivation with others.
Content
Interpersonal Relationships: When an employee displays a positive attitude toward customers, it gives customers an inside look into how organizations work together.
Interpersonal Relationships: When an employee displays a positive attitude toward customers, it gives customers an inside look into how organizations work together.
Content
Maybe Rhonda would still have the job she liked and flexibility with her family if she had given HR a second chance.
Maybe Rhonda would still have the job she liked and flexibility with her family if she had given HR a second chance.