177 - Being Negative and Venting

Are you venting to co-workers or bosses? Can they handle the vent?

What's the difference between being negative and venting, and does it matter?

I always used to tell people that it's ok to vent and be negative, as long as after it you use that pain to figure out a way to get to work and move forward. Often, it can be the relief needed to move into the next level of creativity and performance.

Recently, I've been reminded of another component to remember as you vent.

It has to do with knowing who to vent to based upon a relationship of trust.

I have made a few mistakes lately.

I've vented with the wrong audiences. Audiences that I haven't built trust with, though I didn't realize that until after the fact. In very small moments, I can see an immediate response to information that I think is worth pushing back on, disagreeing about, or questioning further. The response isn't something that I've expected, and certainly doesn't open the door to further communication and collaboration.

No, I'm not running rampant with this behavior. Or, am I?

It's worth taking pause if you start sensing new reactions from others. You may be lucky and start to notice the minute you start engaging in venting or negative conversations. Or, it might take a while if you are trying to figure out other challenges.

Either way, it's worth paying attention to if you want to maintain, or increase, your sphere of influence and personal performance.

These are tough pills to swallow if you feel like you had this skill, and you see evidence that you've lost it.

But, there's always a chance for a new start. And, it's important to find a way to have a good vent with people who can handle it. If you can't find that kind of person at work, find one beyond it.

More thoughts on this in Episode 177 - Being Negative and Venting.

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