Who knew there were many lessons to be learned regarding communication, conflict, and culture in the reality show “Celebrity Big Brother.”
I am a “Big Brother” fan because I find it fascinating how the dynamics of the personalities meshing together change very quickly. I am always trying to figure out why they act the way they do, react to situations they are in, and say the things they do in the situations they are in. By observing and comparing “Big Brother” to work environments, this aids me in coming up with resolutions to the negative situations that occur between houseguests.
Season 2, which started this past week is charged with emotions and personalities; this is not surprising since it is a bunch of celebrities who love the spotlight. This past week there were 4 episodes; there were many situations that took place, but two situations stood out that reminded me of how co-workers can be when there are misunderstandings and no communication.
1st situation – No Communication – Although all the houseguests talked and were cordial with one another, there was no communication with those that considered themselves allies in strategic decisions. A male houseguest decided to protect another houseguest by helping her to not be put on the block without telling the 4 out of 5 allies he teamed up with. This caused distrust among the allies towards the male houseguest.
2nd situation – Misunderstanding – There are two female houseguests that have a past of not getting along. It came to a head when one female houseguest was trying to explain why she was mad with the other houseguest. The other houseguest smirked, made facial expressions and would interrupt the houseguest while she was speaking. This led to words being exchanged and nothing resolved.
So, what could have been done differently in these situations?
1st situation – No Communication – The answer seems simple enough; communicate with your allies on strategic decisions that affect everyone. If it is so simple, then why didn’t the male houseguest communicate with his allies? I believe it was because the male houseguest thought it wasn’t important and that nobody would care. In other words, he was mistaken in thinking what was unimportant was important to the allies. If he would have communicated, he would not have been voted out of the “Big Brother” house by 4 out of the 5 allies.
2nd situation – Misunderstanding – Many things could have been done differently that would have diffused the rift between the two female houseguests. I believe that the female houseguest who smirked with facial expressions and interrupted could have just listened and refrained from the physical and verbal reactions she dished out. This could have led to an understanding and maybe a truce. Or the female houseguest who was explaining her position and getting nowhere should have stopped explaining and excused herself cordially without getting emotional.
Difficult solutions, I know. It isn’t easy to communicate everything, walk away when you feel disrespected nor is it easy to hold back emotions physically or verbally when someone is trying to explain something you don’t believe. But to bring understanding to a misunderstanding or communicate, it is important to train yourself to be mindful of your state of mind, communicate with your allies (team), and your triggers before you react.
Thank you for reading and Take care.