Resisting the urge to pull on a loose thread can be tough for some of us. Lest you think today’s post is about fabric, it isn’t. Loose threads are interpersonal teases.
They occur in meetings when someone:
- makes an innocent error on an inconsequential fact
- pauses for a moment to gather their train-of-thought
- says something provocative in a well-intended attempt to challenge people’s thinking
What do you do when this occurs? Pull on the thread or leave well-enough alone? Some pull on the thread—interrupting the speaker, asking an inappropriate question, filling a void in the meeting with our own ‘stuff’, or taking the conversation in an unhelpful direction. We tell ourselves we’re being helpful…
…but closer to the truth is we’ve been unable to resist having the last word or getting in our two cents. In other words, it’s about us—often a not-so-veiled attempt to show how smart or important we are.
In meetings this can be death—especially for the inexperienced or ineffective leader/presenter. How many times have we all seen meetings completely unravel because one or more attendees couldn’t resist the urge to pull on a loose thread or two? This is not only frustrating, but expensive too.
Professionals resist the urge to pull on loose threads, largely because they:
- quickly turn from one into eight (people pile on)
- knock the leader/speaker off their train-of-thought
- are a catalyst in derailing a meeting’s momentum
- are a sign of disrespect
Professionals aspire to master their emotions—especially when it comes to pulling on loose threads.
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