People need human kindness and appreciation. Remember their dates. Don’t grunt requests at them, as if they aren’t worthy of the extra two seconds of time it takes to speak to them in complete sentences. Say “please” and “thank you.” Human beings are not vending machines.
These thoughts arose from a situation in my personal life, but it’s a good reminder for clients as well.
If you find yourself with a client who exhibits any of these disrespectful behaviors, it’s an indication that they may not understand their role in the relationship (namely, that of client, not employer).
Make sure you don’t leave them any room for misunderstanding that. It’s too important to your success in working together and your own personal happiness in your business.
You set the tone for that by marketing yourself as a strategic support partner and administrative expert, not their assistant.
Please say that again! Yes! Courtesy and kindness goes SUCH a long way! I just had a recruiter call me and interrogate me. I’m a seasoned professional so I answered her questions, but at some point, I had to inform her that she was not very tactful and courteous so perhaps this was not the right fit for me. Here tone and disregard for anything I was responding to was very unpleasant. Thank you, but no thank you was my response. SMH.
Aw, that sucks, Maria. 🙁 It sounds like she deals with so many people, she’s become a zombie in her approach. Reminds me of a blog post I wrote a few years ago called Assembly Lines Are for Cars, Not People.
Amen!
We all get wrapped up in our daily stress and time constraints, and it can make such a huge difference when we simply stop to give those around us our complete attention and respect. Thanks for the reminder, Danielle.
So true Carol! Plus it’s also what some others around us are doing so it has become the norm. However we need to continue to set the example and rise above until compassion and caring for even strangers become the norm.
Maya Angelou said: People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
That is also SO TRUE!!! Have a blessed day Carol and everyone!! Happy Wednesday!!!
Exactly, Carol! An excellent choice quote! Perfect. Thank you!!!!
Bravo! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
When I was a child, my parents, when necessary, would ask “what are the magic words” when required, meaning please and thank you will will get you what you want. I bought up my kids asking that same question. When they were going to school, they were so unusal because they pleased and thank you all over the place without giving it much thought. Of course, my husband and I practiced what we preached too. It’s amazing to me how many I came into contact with who forgot their manners. Respect is a two-way street.