Over the years, I have heard animal health pros talk about raising the young persons in their organizations. They add vigor and vitality to our organizations, but can also be a worry. Although written from a parental perspective, the references in this article can apply to the younger personnel in our organizations.
Source: Bottom Line, Inc., September 1, 2017.
The secret to maintaining harmony when you disagree with a young person’s choices is to say something but say it in a way that minimizes ruffled feathers. Here’s an eight-step plan for doing that:
- Seek a neutral party’s opinion
- Find a private, low-stress moment to raise concerns
- Open your discussion with curiosity
- Cite your own mistakes or shortcomings
- Compliment the younger person, then blame your concerns on your own shortcomings
- Offer your advice if you feel it has value.
- Suggest that the child speak with a third party
- If the conversation goes poorly, apologize—even if you don’t think you were wrong