Character Shows

Some interesting food for thought last weekend. First, I've been attending CoyoteCon, an online writers conference. It's been great, lots of good advice, fun panels, and friends. Second, I received my first fan email from someone I have no personal connection with. Third, I ran across this blog post by Brian Hodge. I've come away with a very important lesson.

Character matters. Who you are shows, no matter how hard you try to hide it. Within a few minutes, usually by the end of their introduction, I could tell which of the guests at CoyoteCon were genuinely nice people and which ones were there to feed their ego. It's a normal mix for a con and not one I'm going to judge, but I've noticed a trend with successful authors. To quote a quote from Brian's post, “Money doesn’t change you. It just reveals who you are when you don’t have to be nice.” Most big-name authors I've met are wonderful, kind, generous people. Some, unfortunately, are not.

So we come to my fan mail. I'm new in the publishing world. This fan was kind enough to read the free stories on my website and drop me an email letting me know she particularly enjoyed one of the stories. As an author, I was thrilled to hear from her and thrilled that she liked my work enough to comment on it. I sent her a reply thanking her, and wishing her well with her writing. I'm not the best correspondent, just ask my family, but I can try.

Then I read Brian's post. He very eloquently makes an important point, character matters. How many extremely successful actors, writers, sports heroes, politicians, etc. are genuinely nice people? I really don't know. It's only the bad behavior that makes the news, and unfortunately, there is a lot of it out there.

I work part-time doing customer support for an iPhone app company. Courtesy matters. A polite request or complaint is more likely to get you results although I can't always give you what you want. I'm also involved with the Boy Scouts of America as a merit badge counselor and Cub leader. Again, character matters. BSA's mission is to build character in youth by teaching them respect, courtesy, honesty, integrity, cleanliness, faith, and self-reliance.

Character matters. Virtues that our society has neglected and discarded matter. Let's return to the days of common courtesy and integrity. Starting with me.

Defining Extraordinary

Extraordinary People

An acquaintance commented the other day that I was an extraordinary person. The comment took me aback. I don’t consider myself extraordinary. I’m just a normal person coping with life. It got me thinking, though. What makes an extraordinary person?

Many people idolize sports figures or celebrities. It’s easy to say they are extraordinary because you aren’t close enough to see the flaws. It’s easy to overlook warts from a distance. To me, the most extraordinary people are those in my neighborhood, those who cross my path in life. No, they are not perfect, but they have their moments where they shine brilliantly. The neighbor who friends the teenager struggling to define their place in life, lifting them to a higher purpose. The couple who stay together through tough times and still love and cherish each other into old age, never straying. The employee at the store who strives to treat each customer with courtesy and respect, meeting impatience and anger with an unwavering friendliness. These are my heroes.

So what makes a person extraordinary? The courage and conviction to live a moral life, no matter what others may say. The passion to reach higher, to keep trying. I have a quote in my office that I hope I live up to in my life. “People are like stained glass windows–they sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when darkness sets in their true beauty is only revealed if there is a light within.” ~Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. May we all live with a light shining brightly. May we reach to become extraordinary through small daily acts of service, love, and kindness.

Losing a Battle but Winning the War

Good customer service will win the war.

I don't know about you, but I'm fed up with lousy customer service. You know what I'm talking about: clerks who chat with their friends and completely ignore you, sales reps who bypass you for someone who looks like a better prospect, phone service people who have no idea how to actually help you, grouchy employees who are downright rude that you would have the nerve to interrupt their day with a simple request.

There are stores that I no longer patronize because every time I step foot in the store, I'm treated with contempt. Wake up, people! I'm your customer, I'm the reason you stay in business. Yes, I'm just one, but I have friends and family and neighbors who hear about the lousy service I received at your establishment. When they ask me for recommendations, your business won't be anywhere near my list, in fact it will be on my list of places to avoid. The ones with polite employees who actually seem happy to help will be the ones who get mentioned, even if the prices are a little higher.

So how do you get good employees? You create them. Treat them well and they will treat your customers well. Show them decency, courtesy, and respect. Then train them to show those same qualities to your customers.

True, a rude, impatient customer can be hard to deal with but that is no excuse for a lack of professionalism from the employee or manager. There are a few that can't be satisfied no matter what you do, but most people just want their complaint addressed. Listen politely and then offer what you can. It will go a long way to mending customer opinion.

Before I leave my soapbox, I want to make a plea for a return of common courtesy. Treat others the way you want treated and even if they don't respond in kind, you'll come out the winner.