Being a leader is one of the hardest things to do. You may not have realised it at first, but becoming a Team Leader isn’t just a change in responsibilities. It is a change in STATUS. How you are perceived by others, and how YOU perceive yourself.

As a leader, you will already know that some situations clearly call for Carrot, and some for Stick. But what about the AMBIGUOUS ones, when the solution is less clear?

It is important to remember that everyone has their own unique perspective on things, influenced by their own history and experience, and whatever is happening for them in that moment. These different perspectives are often at the root of conflict at work - and our different personality traits will also influence how we act on these perspectives.

Remember that your colleagues are human beings too. Yes, even your manager, and the business owners! In the counselling world, there is a term called ‘Splitting’, which describes our tendency to only see certain parts of other people’s characters (and our own).