True story: My toddler's tantrum taught me more about conflict resolution than any corporate training

5 comments

5 Comments

Honestly how many of us have accidentally brought toddler strategies into a meeting only to have it backfire spectacularly? I tried that whole 'count to ten' calm pause during a budget debate last week and my project manager just thought I was buffering and started explaining the spreadsheet again from the top. Maybe the real lesson is that if you treat coworkers like toddlers, they will indeed act like them, but you'll be the one put in time-out by HR.

phoenix_barnes8h ago

Did you read that article about how toddlers just mirror the conflict styles they see? Makes those workplace dynamics hit different lol.

the_sarah3h ago

Question if we're reading too much into this mirroring stuff. Toddlers operate on instinct and immediate needs, not calculated office politics. Adults have layers of professionalism and consequences that simply don't apply to a three year old. Sure, people mimic behaviors sometimes, but equating a workplace to a nursery overlooks all the nuanced social contracts at work. It feels like forcing a catchy idea onto situations that are way more complicated. The comparison is fun to think about, but I wouldn't base my career strategies on toddler psychology.

kai6192h ago

During my son's last meltdown, I counted to twenty and now use that same pause in team disagreements.

jade_baker906h ago

Honestly, the mirroring thing is so true... I learned to just stop talking during tantrums. When I stay calm and wait, my toddler eventually mimics that calmness. At work, I apply the same principle by pausing before responding to heated emails.