Do you do this, too?
Something feels off, and before you say a word, your brain writes a full script about what the other person meant, why they did it, and how it’s probably not great. I call this the “shower lawyer” habit, where you're arguing a case in your head that no one else even knows exists. This episode is about interrupting that pattern, because those private narratives feel protective but quietly wreck clarity, repair, and trust.
This season is grounded in one hard truth: leadership starts with self. That means noticing when you’re spinning stories, regulating your own reactions, and choosing questions over rehearsed arguments. We talk about a simple rule—don’t knit the sweater—so you can catch yourself turning guesses into certainty. From there, I share a few practical ways to separate fact from assumption, name what you’re feeling without defending it, and open a real conversation instead of extending the mental movie.
Conflict doesn’t need to be pleasant to be useful. One honest exchange can save months of distance, but only if you’re willing to drop the storyline and show up. If you’ve been rehearsing that argument in your head, consider this your nudge to pause, get curious, and talk to the actual human in front of you.
