It was the second day of an intensive leadership program I lead once a year and there were 20 participants in the room. Gupta and Randi* were standing in the middle of the group, opposite each other.
“I can’t do it!” Gupta insisted as Randi stood opposite him, waiting.
Earlier in the day, Gupta told me that he overheard Randi speaking about him behind his back and he was angry and hurt. In the past, in “real life,” rather than confront Randi directly, Gupta would have become passive aggressive, complaining to others behind her back and finding ways to undermine her. Read this brilliant HBR article to find out more.