Taking the high road is easier said than done in the emotional aftermath of a devastating snub. Sometimes, throwing a little shade may feel warranted, and could even earn public praise.
“Speak up in a way that shows your disappointment and shows that you’re mature, you’re accountable, you’re responsible. Those are the kinds of qualities that a leader is going to look for,” says Justin Hale, an author and course designer at Crucial Learning, a leadership and development training provider.
And then, rather than using it as an excuse to do less, Hale says to use the snub as motivation to accomplish more. Even if it’s for someone else.
“Manage what we call ‘your story’,” he says. “In this case the story I’m telling myself is that, ‘I was qualified, and for some reason, they passed me up.'”