Have you ever been in a meeting and a sidebar conversation starts? Or have you walked by a group of people engaged in a conversation and someone makes a seemingly benign remark? When this has happened, have you thought to yourself “I should explore that more” but brush it off because you don’t have time or feel it is harmless venting?
Often these remarks or sidebar conversations are counterproductive and make it harder to build communities and gain buy-in into decisions made. They also stifle opportunities for people to make connections and find meaning in their work. No matter the type of comment or sidebar, it is a view into the persons world.
Rather than ignoring seemingly innocent remarks or sidebars, explore them. Try to understand their thinking, ask them to explain what they mean or how they arrived at that conclusion. Try to ask 3-4 ‘why’ questions to gain a deeper understanding of their position. Then take action as necessary.
Allowing sidebars or passive-aggressive comments to go unaddressed will lead to the same problems persisting over and over again. Call them out, explore the why and act as necessary. If you can’t address it in the moment, try to do so within 1-2 days.
