People Are Strange Creatures…

People are strange creatures.

Back in 2013, there was a week where I was entertaining visitors from overseas. It was wonderful fun being their host, and playing tour guide in Sydney, the Blue Mountains, and the Southern Highlands. 

We had a great time.

In between times I had also been drilling teeth and doing what I always do with the Ultimate Patient Experience Programme.

One of my visitors asked if I could organise a meeting for the dental profession, at short notice, on his field of expertise, Dental Embezzlement.

No problem. Done deal. A topic of interest to all dentists, globally.

So I put together a meeting, emailed a few chat groups, and went about filling the room for him.

The Australian Dental Association sent someone out to record an interview with my friend.

Apparently the ADA has not been able to find an expert in this field in the land Down Under.

Anyway, a small crowd enjoyed a very informative two-hour presentation, and time just flew.

It was a great night for those who attended, as was evident from the feedback. It was a shame the meeting was called on such short notice, and so many could not attend. As one attendee wrote to me in an email, “so many missed out. Bad luck to them.”

In the wash up, I received an interesting “group email” sent to my Dental School Class of 1982, about using the email list for “promoting private business”.

It was an indirect, on purpose, go at me for sending details out to that list about the Embezzlement Information night.

This dig back at me reminded me, that people are people. And, too, that even in my dental office, you think you know people, but you don’t know people.

At my dental office we used to email information and newsletters to our patient database. Regularly.

However, every time we sent out an email broadcast, our list used to "self select", as there were always subscribers who would opt out and decide that they don’t want to be bothered with our dental information for them.

What always surprises me, is that sometimes these opter outers are regular good attendees of the dental office.

And that’s the bit that I find strange.

And I live with it.

These opter outers are committed to their teeth, and dental health, as is evident by their actions and attendances at the dental office.

But for some reason, they choose not to receive our information and newsletters about dentistry, and also choose to let us know this.

And that’s what I find odd, because to me, it’s really making a statement, about nothing really.

It’s only email. It’s not letterbox clogging forest destroying physical mail?

As Ray Hadley says about his radio show, there’s an off button and a dial. Listeners are free to use both whenever they want.

And it’s the same with email. There’s a junk folder, and a delete button. For everyone to use, at their own discretion, and nobody is the wiser.

And nobody gets offended.

Sometimes with the email broadcasts, we will receive an occasional strong email back asking to be removed from the list. Usually from a new addition to the list.

But sometimes I feel it would be better for them to just click the Unsubscribe button.

So here’s my point. Or points.

Firstly, you can’t be everything to everybody. It’s impossible. People are people and people are different. From each other. And from themselves at different times. Get used to it and deal with it accordingly.

But don’t try to accommodate everyone. If you do, you’ll just give yourself an ulcer on the way to the poor house.

There will always be people, who despite your best intentions and your courtesies, will not be receptive to you, to your thoughts, to your words, and to your actions.

Despite how nice and polite you are.

Secondly, know that it’s a statistic. Accept that this statistic exists, and move on quickly.

Focus on your successes, and your wins and your winners.

Not on your whiners.

They will only hold you back, from your mission, from your destiny.

History is littered with stories of people who have failed to act, to their own detriment, and missed out on great successes, because they listened to a few negative comments and let those comments get in the way of their mission.

Don’t allow the minds of the mediocre to deter you from your destiny.

Not just in email, but in business, and in life.

I feel so sad when I hear people say, “my staff would never let me do that” or “my spouse doesn’t want me to…[blank]”

There will always be whiners and excuse makers. Always.

Accept that people are strange creatures.

And know it.

And act accordingly, with that knowledge.

*****

Dr. David Moffet BDS FPFA CSP is a certified CX Experience coach who helps businesses improve their Customer Service Systems to create memorable World Class experiences for their valued clients. Click here to find out how David can help your business