We all have hot buttons, behaviors or situations that drive us crazy. When we are not aware of our hot buttons or cannot communicate them, they can become sources of conflict.

Common hot buttons staff might experience include:

• Inconsistency
• Different expectations for children
• Differences in organization or cleanliness
• Supervision of children
• Different communication styles
• Different planning expectations
• Different ideas about environmental setup
• Tardiness or absences of coworkers

Use the following directions to lead reflection and discussion with staff members about their hot buttons.

Step 1: Identify Your Hot Buttons

Write down the situations or behaviors that frustrate or upset you. These can relate to interactions with children or adult coworkers.

My Hot Buttons:

Step 2: Reflect on Your Reactions

For each hot button, consider:

• Emotions: How do you feel when this happens?
• Responses: How do you react?
• Impact: How does your reaction affect your relationships?

Reflection Notes:

Step 3: Look for Patterns

• Review your list. Do you notice any themes or similarities?
• Optional: Use a colored pencil or marker to color-code your hot buttons by theme (e.g., “cleanliness” = green).

Patterns I Notice:

Step 4: Reflection Questions

1. What general topics seem to be your hot buttons?

2. What should your coworkers know about your hot buttons?

3. What is one easy fix that could reduce the impact of a hot button?