Our friend Steve Beck has a book titled “Leave Your Funk at the Door” in which he extolls the importance that salespeople and customer-service agents not bring in their personal baggage when they start their workday. (His advice applies to everyone in everyday life, really.) Putting on a happy smile and a pleasant demeanor will make any person more likeable and approachable—characteristics that well help both with customers and with coworkers. We want to buy from people we like, and we want to work with people who bring a positive energy to our work environment.
But a salesperson or customer-service agent can catch a funk at work, too. We all run into problems, whether it’s the customer who simply can’t be pleased or the coworker that can’t stop complaining. Despite your best efforts to remain positive, these bad interactions can sour your mood. How do you shake off the funk you catch at work?
Take a Breather
First, don’t hesitate to take a few minutes to get off the salesfloor or out of your cubicle/office. If you work near a convenience store or a grocer, now is the time to go grab a soda or something else that makes you happy. Don’t shy away from your frustration but confront it directly in your thoughts. Better to have an imaginary yelling-match in your head than a real one in your place of business.
Vent to a Trusted Confidant
A sympathetic ear, like a close friend’s or family member’s, can do wonders for you, so long as that person won’t allow your frustration to ruin his or her own day. You can even sound-off to coworkers or managers, too, but be careful to not contribute to a negative work environment, lest you pass your funk on. Instead, save those discussions for after work when the day is behind you.
Take Stock
No matter how irritating an unpleasable customer or grumpy coworker can be, another tool for shaking off your irritation is to recall everything good in your life. Remember how thankful you are for your close friends and family members, for your positive coworkers or managers, for having a job that helps you provide for yourself and others. Think about how lucky you are to have those blessings, especially since so little in life is guaranteed.
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
In the end, recognize that you are the person most responsible for your happiness, which means you have the power to let go of the small irritations in life if you choose to do so. Whether you do this by laughing the annoyances off, going for a walk, complaining to a friend, or anything else, make sure you do so: shake off the nonsense so you can go back to being the best employee and coworker you can be. Your job performance and interpersonal office relationships will benefit tremendously for it.
Are you a business owner or manager? Even if you’re not, point this blog to whoever’s in charge because maintaining a positive working environment is critical to healthy sales and customer service, which means employees must work well not only with the clientele but also each other. At The Brandt Group, we have many tools for measuring your business’s health, including employee satisfaction surveys and leadership training. To help foster the best work environment possible, contact us today to learn more.
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