How Not to Throat Punch Your Way Through Fair Season
“Confidence isn’t built by changing others. It’s built by mastering your own reactions.”
Let’s be honest.
There’s a moment, usually right after someone says, “That’s not how we used to do it,” where your jaw tightens, your eyes twitch, and you start mentally checking which mug is closest to your hand.
You care deeply. You’ve poured years into this fair.
But sometimes, the people make you want to throw the rulebook, not read it.
And the worst part?
You start to feel like you’re the problem for caring so much.
No, friend. You’re just tired of playing emotional dodgeball with people who mistake control for commitment.
The Truth Behind the Trigger
Here’s the thing:
Leadership isn’t just about systems; it’s about self-regulation.
Most “conflict resolution” training was written for cubicles and quarterly reports, not barns and beer tents.
You don’t need another lecture on patience. You need tools to help you stay calm when someone’s pushing your buttons on purpose.
That’s where my coaching meets the chaos.
I’ve sat in those same meetings, where the loudest voice wins, where passion gets mistaken for attitude, and where calm feels like surrender.
You’re not broken. You’re just burnt.
And you can learn how to lead without losing yourself.
Taking Your Emotions Back
Here’s what happens when you finally take your emotions back.
You stop letting other people’s bad behaviour become your bad day.
You stop rehearsing comebacks in the shower.
And you start realizing that they don’t own your emotions, you do.
After more than 12 years of coaching leaders, directors, and even a few “boardroom legends in the making,” I’ve seen it again and again: the calmest person in the room holds the real power.
One executive director I worked with told me,
“I don’t get anxious anymore in difficult conversations, not because people changed, but because I did.”
That’s the shift.
You stop chasing control of others and start mastering control of yourself.
You learn to:
✅ Hold your ground without raising your voice
✅ See the trigger coming and choose how to respond
✅ Stay centred even when someone else is losing it
✅ Leave the room proud of how you handled it, not replaying what you wish you’d said
This isn’t therapy.
It’s emotional strategy for leaders who give a damn, people who care too much to keep letting chaos run the show.
It’s coaching that feels like coffee with someone who gets it, but leaves you walking away steady instead of spent.
Calm Is the New Power Move
Picture this.
Same fair. Same faces. But you show up differently.
Meetings don’t drain you.
You can listen without losing your cool.
And that one person who used to hijack your day? They don’t even rattle you anymore.
That’s what emotional systems do, they protect your peace while you protect your fair.
Because no amount of coffee can fix a system that’s missing parts, especially the emotional ones.
If your board dynamics are turning into a barn brawl, it’s time to change how you show up to it.
Because no amount of coffee can fix a system that’s missing parts, especially the emotional ones.
If your board dynamics are turning into a barn brawl, it’s time to change how you show up to it.
👉 Book your “Chaos to Confident” Coaching inquiry call, a 1:1 experience for fair leaders who want to protect their calm, their credibility, and their legacy.
🎡 FAIR SYSTEMS THAT WORK
Systems That Work; Chaos Not Included
Let's Get to Work
Kryssie ❦
3 Ways to Work with Fair Systems That Work ↓
👉 Fair Audits
It’s not just about your board. Audits look at your whole fair, from directors to conveners, volunteers to systems. You’ll get a clear snapshot of what’s working, what’s not, and where the biggest gaps are, so you know exactly what needs to change.
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👉 Fair Audit Survival Guide - Free eBook
Inside the Fair Audit Survival Guide, you’ll find the Audit Worksheet, your step-by-step tool to see what’s working and what’s fragile.
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👉 Chaos to Confidence 1:1 Coaching
You matter.
A 30-minute call to explore where you’re feeling frustrated, what’s driving the chaos, and how personalized coaching can help you show up calm, clear, and confident, no matter who’s in the room.
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