Every once in a while we encounter hurtful comments or have difficult conversations to look forward to that are either job or client based. On occasion sleepless nights are experienced due to the anger inside. But, anger doesn't help the effort to find a potential solution.
Should any of this occur during the holiday season, stress is seen at an all-time high and could hinder health. Consider the following strategies to ease the pain and potentially have them work to your favor.
Rapid Punching
At home, with no one around, punch your pillow rapidly and with all your might. It helps to alleviate the anger and stimulate the brain. Or, if you have access to boxing gloves and punching bag, have at it! By the time you are through, you will have hurt no one and you just might feel a bit better and ready to proceed to step 2.
Ask Why?
More relaxed, consider all of the reasons possible for the mean commentary or need for the dreaded upcoming conversation. From the beginning of the story, what lead to the root cause of this dilemma? Could it be, personality conflict, omission, misunderstanding…?
Walk yourself through all of the details that led to the event turning south along with the upcoming tenuous conversation. List possibilities on a newly created document.
Possibilities
Out of the entire list, which possibilities to be proposed, in your upcoming meeting, are the most likely to be accepted? Add further details to the ones you like best in order to make your case on the appointed day. Calmly discuss the options to fully comprehend where you stand.
Personality
You can't change someone's personality. Sometimes you just have to walk away. However, if you are on a job, keep options open without having to quit. The easier way to get a new job is to still be employed.
Entrepreneurs sometime have to walk away from rude clients or people in their circles if the comments get to them. Remember, opinions are subjective. It is up to you to accept or reject what is being said.
For example, I responded with the following earlier today:Writing style is completely subjective. Nice Girls DO Get the Sale was professionally edited by a highly reputable publishing house, is an international best-seller, and enjoys top-notch media attention. Yet some still felt inclined to tell me it was poorly written. Another salesperson and author, that I know, writes with run-on sentences. This is a “no-no” in the traditional grammatical sense. However, I found the writing extremely compelling and moving, as did many others. That book has sold phenomenally well.
Be Yourself
The worst strategy is to adapt to someone else's wishes. This kills any remote chance of moving forward let alone being happy with who you have become. This is called developing your personal brand.
When you are tackled at work, by a friend, or in business, be true to your principles, ideals and vision. It's always good to be nice, but at times you do need to stand up to be heard, particularly after a rough tackle.
We each have one life to live and it's up to us to live it the way we believe is right for us. Operating with this frame of mind, you will find the Smooth Sale!