The kick the cat story is about a person having a bad day and passing on those negative feelings to others. He says like this: Jim is angry that morning traffic has made him late for work. Shortly after arriving at work, he starts yelling at his assistant about a report he needs. Alice, the assistant, calls the manager who didn’t turn in the report on time. In a very forceful way, Ella Alice tells the manager to give her the report right away. Jack, the manager, is very upset but complies. Jack is still angry when he walks into his house after work. Unfortunately, the unsuspecting cat walks through the front door just as Jack enters. Kick! * The cat did nothing wrong, but it took the brunt of the bad day that went from Jim to Alice to Jack and eventually to the cat. Why?
What if they had compartmentalized their negative feelings and not passed their anger on to others during the day? Often when someone is having a bad day, they look to share the load. If there is a legitimate concern, then by all means deal with the situation. However, many times these concerns are not legitimate.
They are simply annoying attempts by someone trying to gain attention, bring drama into the room, or show that they have some perceived power. Acknowledge negative feelings for what they are. If they are legitimate, act on them, but don’t pass the negative thoughts on to others. If they are simply attempts to kick the cat, then you should be the person to stop the negativity.
Ideas for implementation
- Observe when people get angry and see how they handle those feelings.
- The next time you get upset about something, examine your reactions.
Discussion Topics:
- Think of a recent event that bothered you. Was your response appropriate to the event or did you overreact?
- Why did you react that way?
- What will you do differently next time?
Good luck! You are a winner! *I paraphrased this story from Zig Ziglar, one of the world’s leading motivational speakers. Weaves homey humor and inspirational stories to give you valuable life lessons. I encourage you to get the CD from him. Visit www.TeachingMoments.com
