Get Curious, Not Furious: A Real-Life Example

“Get curious, not furious.”

It’s a phrase I repeat in almost every workshop – not because it sounds clever, but because it works.

In this week’s Ask Leah video, I share a personal example where I had to practise what I preach.

A couple of weeks ago, I sent out a newsletter where I had a bit of a rant about adults behaving like children in the workplace. One reader unsubscribed and left me a parting gift – a nasty message on their way out.

I had a choice.

I could’ve ignored it. I could’ve got defensive. I could’ve got furious.

Instead, I got curious.

I reached out with a respectful question to understand where they were coming from.

What followed was a genuine, thoughtful, back-and-forth email exchange between two people who dropped the armour and leaned into real conversation. To their credit, they apologised immediately, owned their poor response, and took responsibility for venting frustrations with their workplace in a misguided way.

Once the heat had settled, we realised we were actually aligned – we’d simply seen the same issue through different lenses.

When curiosity leads, connection follows.

Want to know how it played out and what I said to open the conversation? Check out the Ask Leah episode below.

Curiosity isn’t weakness – it’s courageous communication in action.


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Is the toughest part of your job the ‘people bit’?

I can help.

Hi, I’m Leah Mether. I’m a communication and soft skills specialist, obsessed with making the people part of leadership and work life easier.

I teach leaders and teams how to communicate effectively under pressure, have difficult conversations, better manage themselves, and build a culture that gets the results they need.

With my direct, straight-shooting style I can help you:

communicate effectively
have difficult conversations
manage yourself at times of stress
increase emotional intelligence
lead with warmth
create a culture of trust and psychological safety
improve personal effectiveness

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