The Wrong Shoes and Taking Things too Seriously…

Don’t be Distracted by the Amuse Bouche

I was speaking with a client this week who shared with me that he was exhausted of showing up for zoom meetings and ‘putting on a serious face’.

It sounded like a mask or a costume he was forcing himself to wear, and we laughed at how his mind wandered in the direction of simply not turning up, of making a stand against fakery and the pretence of showing up as the person he thought others wanted him to be.

Of course he knew that there was a line somewhere in there, between being serious and taking things too seriously.

It was OK that he didn’t buy into some of the points of view or the machinations of his colleagues, and that didn’t mean he couldn’t take his role, and the work of the organisation seriously.

Coaching conversations often start like this-asking someone what’s on his or her mind will, usually, bring up what’s literally been occupying space in their mind.

Sometimes we go down that path; sometimes not. More often it’s like the amuse bouche at the start of a meal, something to salivate and smooth the conversation, an ice-breaker, a get-to-know you exchange. Something that’s easily satisfied with a quick look at the difference between being serious about what…