Getting irritated at the behaviors of our clients and customers (not to mention colleagues and vendors) may seem like it comes with the work territory of running one’s own business—but it doesn’t have to be that way. I think it helps us to remind ourselves that other people really do have a life and while some of their choices might be inconvenient to us—they are normally not intended to be personal or mess up our schedules and lives…
If you hear yourself saying “Why are they doing this to me?!” chances are things are out of perspective. I was talking with a colleague recently who was very upset and agitated that a vendor of his had to delay delivery of an item because his child had gotten sick and had to go into the hospital. The business owner was determined that the inconvenience was unbearable and that the offending vendor was just showing poor work ethic. While I understand how frustrating it can be to have our schedules set back and our own businesses affected by other people’s “stuff”—other people do have lives and they are trying to maintain balance, choose priorities and make the best personal decisions possible. This really doesn’t have anything to do with us!
Take it easy. Breathe. Try to see the big picture. If a customer backs out of a sale because a relative has taken ill or finances change—it isn’t personal. If a colleague cancels or reschedules a lunch meeting due to unpredictable circumstances—it isn’t personal. Changes in plans, shifting alliances, a scheduling blip—all of these are simply because other people have lives too—lives that do not revolve around our needs and our home business schedules. A little patience and understanding can actually help us to create more customer loyalty than if we get irritated and lose our patience.
Also: Developing a Sense of Urgency