The loss of common courtesy and one way to bring it back.
This week I’m changing it up and writing about something many people have done. I’ve even done it myself recently, I’m sorry to admit. What is it?
Not responding to emails or phone calls from people you know or do business with.
Why is this such a big deal? After all, we can’t answer every single call or email that comes our way.
While this is true, we can do better. At least, I know I can do better.
Let me tell you a quick story
Earlier this year, I received several phone calls from my business banker. I was busy and assumed whatever he needed was not terribly important, so I put him off. After a couple weeks, he left me a frantic message. He needed some additional information about my account.
That was a Friday.
I stopped into the bank on Saturday morning to see what was up, knowing he was usually working on Saturday. Man, was he glad to see me.
Apparently, the way he entered my business name on the account was not acceptable to the bank. If it didn’t get fixed soon, my account would be suspended. In fact, I was only days away from the bank shutting the account down.
Whoa.
Maybe I should have called him back right away.
The real kicker was the fact that my inability to call my banker back in a timely manner affected him directly. For the past two weeks, his supervisor chided him for not reaching me yet and put him on what he called “the fail list.”
He paid for my actions. Or more accurately, my inaction.
I felt really bad about that. What a jerk I was. I promised him I would return his calls promptly in the future.
How do we make this better?
Since then, whenever I get a call or email from anyone other than an obvious scam or telemarketer, I get back to them as soon as I can. That doesn’t mean I drop everything and respond immediately. But, I respond when I have five minutes somewhere in my day.
So, what’s my point in all this? Wouldn’t it be great to see a little more common courtesy again?
It seems we’re all so busy in our own little world we’ve forgotten other people need things from us for their little world to function as well.
Here’s my suggestion. Even if you can’t fully deal with whatever is being asked of you right now, tell the person you’ll get back to them within a certain amount of time. And then actually get back to them. Try not to leave them hanging.
If you must, add them to your calendar so you don’t forget to respond later. The people in your life will think you’re a super hero and feel like you care about their needs. Respect and esteem follow actions that help others.
And who knows? You might even help yourself somewhere along the way. You know, like not having your bank account shut down. That kind of thing.
Have you done this?
Do you have a similar story about how your actions affected someone else? Tell me about it in the comments. I hope I’m not the only jerk out there.
We can help each other do better.