011: Wait.. Am I the Drama???

Last week, I saw a whole family on vacation wearing matching t-shirts that said:

“Well THAT escalated quickly.”

It was meant to be funny… and it was. But honestly? It hit me like a truth bomb. I’ve had to work very hard in both leadership and relationships to know when my passion (or ego) is escalating a situation in the wrong direction. 

Because in the gym world (and real life) drama is always going to exist at some level. 

The trick?

Knowing when you're the one escalating it. Escalate or De-Escalate?

In the gym world, we’re making micro-decisions all day, every day:

• A parent’s upset.

• A coach rolls their eyes.

• A team member missed the mark (again).

• Someone’s frustrated, and now it’s contagious.

And in those moments, we don’t just react.

We lead the emotional tone.

Several years ago, a trusted employee gave me some tough feedback:

“The energy you bring to the meeting is palpable… and not in a good way.”

Oof. But also? I’m so glad she told me. Gut-Checks I Use in the Moment:

• Am I bringing fire or water?

• Does my tone signal safety or danger?

• Is this a moment for empathy or action?

• Is my ego running the show, or the mission?

• Would I handle this differently if I weren’t personally involved?

• Is now the right moment to teach or challenge? Or should I wait?

Here’s one that always helps: Do I want to be right… or get it right? (woah. 🤯)

What Outcome Do I Actually Want?

The answer isn’t always to calm things down.

Sometimes things do need to escalate - to drive urgency, accountability, or even enthusiasm.

But the difference between drama and leadership?

Intentionality. When and how you use it.

Try This at Your Gym:

• When emotions rise, pause. Ask yourself the questions. (Yes, it’s hard. Worth it anyway.)

• Train your leads to spot when escalation is drifting away from the actual issue.

• Praise the team members who calm the storm without ignoring the problem.

Because let’s be real - Every gym has its “Well THAT escalated quickly” moments.

But it doesn’t have to become your culture.

Leadership is knowing when to be the spark…and when to be the calm. Escalation survivor,  - Casey (& The NinjaZone Team)

 🎯Real Talk - If you’ve ever escalated a situation faster than a toddler who didn’t get the blue cup…

Yep. Same.

I’ve been there. More than once.

Sometimes it feels really good in the moment to go full steam ahead with righteous energy.

But here’s the thing: most “escalators” aren’t trying to stir up drama.

They just have big energy, big passion, and big feels.

(Hi, it’s me. I’m the problem, it’s me.)

The key isn’t pretending to be calm all the time.

It’s knowing when to channel that spark into something useful…like clarity, accountability, or progress.

Because unfiltered passion might light a fire…but intentional passion builds momentum.