So, I was watching some old wrestling stuff the other day, specifically looking for those moments where John Laurinaitis looked genuinely angry. You know, not just the usual heel manager stuff, but proper pissed off.
It’s funny how you can sometimes see that flicker behind the performance. That real frustration or annoyance. It reminded me of this guy I used to work with, not even a boss, more like a senior colleague, let’s call him Dave.
Dave had this way about him. Ninety percent of the time, cool as a cucumber. But that other ten percent? Wow. It wasn’t always loud. Sometimes it was worse when it was quiet. He’d get this really tight look on his face, lips pressed together. Just like I saw in some of those Laurinaitis clips.
My Dave Experience
I remember one time we were working on this presentation. We’d been back and forth on the slides for days. Finally, we thought we had it nailed. We sent it over to Dave for a final look before the big meeting.
Silence for about an hour. Then he walks over to my desk, drops the printout on it, and just says, “This. Again.” And walks off. No explanation, no specifics. Just pure, cold annoyance.
I spent the next hour trying to figure out what was wrong. Was it the font? The chart colors? Did I spell something wrong on slide 17? It was like trying to decode a secret message. The whole vibe of the team just tanked because nobody knew what set him off or how to fix it.
We eventually figured it out – he didn’t like the way the conclusion slide was phrased. Something super minor in the grand scheme of things. But the way he handled it, that quiet, simmering anger, it just made everyone feel stupid and anxious.
What I kind of figured out from that whole thing:
- It’s way easier to deal with direct feedback, even if it’s critical, than that silent treatment anger.
- That kind of unpredictable moodiness just makes people hesitant. You stop wanting to show initiative.
- It doesn’t actually make things better or faster. It just creates this weird tension.
So yeah, seeing those clips of John Laurinaitis looking genuinely angry just took me back. Whether it’s on TV or in an office, that kind of energy is just tough to be around. Made me appreciate working with people who are just straightforward, even if they need to tell you something you don’t want to hear. Way better than guessing games and that cold shoulder vibe.
