Meteorologists have the best job in the world; they can be wrong 100% of the time and still be employed. But if we miss the big storms we can be left exposed to the elements. What we often forget is that the storms can be brewing from within our own back yards.
Beware the Calm Before the Storm
If the birds aren’t chirping watch out! If there is no noise going on there is probably a problem brewing. There should always be constructive conflict happening. That means you will hear a little bit of heat in a discussion, and that isn’t all bad. If the air is too calm, people are sheltering you from what is really going on and that can be a sign of bad things on the horizon.
Where there is Thunder there is Lightning
Too big of blow-ups are the other extreme. If people are exploding with emotion that means they are having a hard time coping with the stress of work. That stress can come from many different things. This is not something to sweep under the rug. If you hear of a blow-up then someone is having a rough go of it and it needs to be addressed. A Leader will make sure that the underlying issue (the lightning) is found and dealt with appropriately.
Reaching Steady-State
Small storms are a good thing. We need some rain and weather is always about nature trying to reach a steady-state. Introduce a few storms every once in a while to make sure that you are always making improvements.
Remember, we can’t always control the weather. Not every day will be sunshine and a warm breeze. Be prepared and understand that storms will come.
What are some other signs of storms?
How can Leaders better control their weather?
Building Bridges 