Not to brag or anything, but I think the biggest improvement I've made so far this year is to be calmer when talking with technical support people. My mother used to say you catch more flies with sugar than vinegar.
I've had issues over the years with technical support folks; and, lately, it has become even worse. There is one company with which I have to deal where the technical support folks can not speak English very well. Since I can't speak their language, there is a real communication gap. In checking with some of my peers, they have the same problem with this vendor.
The situation is exacerbated, of course, when the technical issue is critical or needs to be resolved quickly.
In the past, with other vendors, it wouldn't take me long to become impatient with a technician and start to get hot under the collar. (I have had more than a few of them hang up on me.)
I don't know when I reached the turning point of realizing I no longer needed to be angry. But I think the root cause has to do with my perceived lack of control or power over the situation. In fact, I think the great bulk of the problems in this world revolve around two things: Power and the lack of power. (Someday I'll write a book about that.)
When I have a technical issue the first thing I feel is a lack of control. Something is happening and I don't know what it is. The longer this situation persists, the more uneasy I get until that unease turns to anger. I know this doesn't make sense, but it's how my mind works. Usually by the time I call tech support I'm pretty worked up.
But at some point I came to the conclusion that real power is the ability to control yourself; to not give in to impulses. Ultimate control comes from realizing that I have the choice to act one way or another. And when I choose one action over another (rather than responding impulsively) I am in control. I have the power.
Excuse me for digressing, but ever since I came to that conclusion, even when I'm in the middle of a horrific tech support call I can remain calm. Rather than raise my voice, I speak more slowly, e-nun-c-ia-ting my every word. The guy on the other end of the phone can't seem to figure out that I'm about two degrees from boiling over, but it keeps me from reacting rather than acting.
I've also found that when I can remain calm, my mind seems to work better and faster. I can think through a problem because I am thinking clearly.
I just love the way Stewart, Colbert and Maher can take a piece of news and make a joke out of it; particularly one which gets me riled up (which many of them do). What is it they say, if I don't laugh, I'll cry? That's another great way to respond to those issues that would ordinarily cause one to act impulsively. I need to work on developing the comedian's mind.
The situation is exacerbated, of course, when the technical issue is critical or needs to be resolved quickly.
In the past, with other vendors, it wouldn't take me long to become impatient with a technician and start to get hot under the collar. (I have had more than a few of them hang up on me.)
I don't know when I reached the turning point of realizing I no longer needed to be angry. But I think the root cause has to do with my perceived lack of control or power over the situation. In fact, I think the great bulk of the problems in this world revolve around two things: Power and the lack of power. (Someday I'll write a book about that.)
When I have a technical issue the first thing I feel is a lack of control. Something is happening and I don't know what it is. The longer this situation persists, the more uneasy I get until that unease turns to anger. I know this doesn't make sense, but it's how my mind works. Usually by the time I call tech support I'm pretty worked up.
But at some point I came to the conclusion that real power is the ability to control yourself; to not give in to impulses. Ultimate control comes from realizing that I have the choice to act one way or another. And when I choose one action over another (rather than responding impulsively) I am in control. I have the power.
Excuse me for digressing, but ever since I came to that conclusion, even when I'm in the middle of a horrific tech support call I can remain calm. Rather than raise my voice, I speak more slowly, e-nun-c-ia-ting my every word. The guy on the other end of the phone can't seem to figure out that I'm about two degrees from boiling over, but it keeps me from reacting rather than acting.
I've also found that when I can remain calm, my mind seems to work better and faster. I can think through a problem because I am thinking clearly.
I just love the way Stewart, Colbert and Maher can take a piece of news and make a joke out of it; particularly one which gets me riled up (which many of them do). What is it they say, if I don't laugh, I'll cry? That's another great way to respond to those issues that would ordinarily cause one to act impulsively. I need to work on developing the comedian's mind.