Be Tender

Being tender does take a little practice. I would recommend you practice stoicism.

Stoicism

It is an ancient Greek school of philosophy founded at Athens by Zeno of Citium. The school taught that virtue, the highest good, is based on knowledge, and that the wise live in harmony with the divine Reason (also identified with Fate and Providence) that governs nature, and are indifferent to the vicissitudes of fortune and to pleasure and pain. (credit wikipedia)

            Be Tender in meetings – what does that have to do with stoicism?

Stoicism is being in control of our behavior in uncertain circumstances. We need to be strong, steadfast and most of all in control.  When we are in control we can be tender

Occasionally meetings run amuck.  Perhaps, your best employee has had a bad day and during this meeting that person  is behaving badly.  If you are not in control of your emotions, mindful of the minute you are living, you might say or do something inappropriate. You are the leader and your inappropriate words maybe hurtful, demeaning and threatening.  Your best employee quits.  If you were tender that may not have happened.

Be stoic,  be thoughtful of your words and most of all be tender.  If you need an exercise or two, watch Tim Ferriss Ted talk.

Being tender is being a stoic leader.  Turn things around by being tender and patient. Expand the possibilities for yourself by doing a few exercises about what you fear most.

What do you fear, what is the worst thing that can happen,  what is the good that can happen?

“Choose not to be harmed and you won’t feel harmed. Don’t feel harmed and you haven’t been.” -Marcus Aurelius

Thank you to Frank Banish for his photograph