Cut Some Slack

Are your standards too high?

Now, that's question that probably has people scratching their heads and thinking, "Huh? Shouldn't standards be as high as possible?" The answer to that is yes. But those are the standards we apply to ourselves. What about the standards we apply to others we come into contact with?

Sometimes, it's easy to forget what it's like to be on the other end of the call or transaction. Everyone has a bad day now and again. Cut the other person some slack. You can and should expect high standards of behavior for yourself - but that's what you get paid to do as sales or service professionals, business owners or co-workers and colleagues. You don't, however, have the ability to demand others behave the same way. Certainly you shouldn't allow abuse. But if a person raises their voice, voices their unhappiness, you should simply ignore the tone and listen to the message.

Using your best standards of behavior, you should simply solve the problem and help the other party as best you can - doing it as diligently and as politely as though the other party had used their own highest standards of behavior.

You can't see into other's heads but you can be professional at all times. That person who seemed to get upset out of nowhere? Perhaps there's a sick child at home, or a personal or financial grief.

You don't know, so you should assume the best. My motto: Never fault someone for behaving like a human being.

Does this give us a pass? Of course not. You should always use your best skill sets no matter what the transaction. But just as you'd like a little compassion - some understanding if you yourself are a little off, you should remember that it works both ways.

Think of it as a random act of kindness to others. Cut someone some slack.