There's been a great deal written lately about the power of storytelling. Most of it in terms of how great stories can help us connect with our audiences or more clearly illustrate our point. But I believe we should be mindful of the stories we may never be told as well. I've found myself looking at people through a different lens lately. For every person I see, I try to imagine for a moment what brought them to live where they do. How they chose their job or whether their job chose them. I think about the influences in their lives (the stories) that have shaped how they view the world. I realize I know nothing about who they are.
Compound that with not knowing what may have happened in their lives on a particular day - events that may cause them to be either jovial, indifferent, or angry at the world. And in fairness, those people do not understand what's happening in our worlds either. These powerful, untold stories impact our interactions with everyone we meet, each and every day.
What does any of this have to do with client service? Well, a great deal actually. If by realizing the power of the untold story, we can show a bit more patience with one another, then we'll be the richer for it. Before reacting impatiently ourselves or responding negatively to what you interpret to be a terse remark, take a moment to consider what you may not understand.
The Chinese word for patience is phonetically pronounced as ren. It's expressed with a combination of two characters: the blade of the knife and the heart, symbolizing how difficult it can be to demonstrate true patience. "Patience is the strength of the mind and heart." Imagine a world where everyone was just a bit more patient. Consider how this may be relevant to your life and share your story with us.
