Comments on: Tip for Dealing with Angry or Emotional Customers http://powerdiversity.com/tip-for-dealing-with-angry-or-emotional-customers Dan O'Connor delivers communication advice, blogs, audios, and training resources to help you improve your professional communication and customer service skills. Fri, 02 Mar 2012 12:01:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Mary Ellen Barney http://powerdiversity.com/tip-for-dealing-with-angry-or-emotional-customers#comment-30 Mary Ellen Barney Fri, 11 Dec 2009 02:50:39 +0000 http://powerdiversity.com/?p=642#comment-30 Dan, I just have to speak my mind tonight, and since I don't have my own blog, I'm using yours. Sorry. Whatever happened to respect for one's elders? Whatever happened to being seen and not heard? Whatever happened to "because I said so"? These seem very archaic now, don't they? But they worked. There was a day when the difficult people--about which we hear and talk so much--were rarely found in the classroom, unless they were teaching. No, teachers ruled the roost, and if a lippy student wanted to be obnoxious (oops, I mean assert his or her rights), they were summarily discharged to the principal--who did NOT, I repeat did NOT reprimand the teacher. To the contrary, the principal made it a point to scare the living bajeebers out of the student. The perpetrator's big concern? Will my parents be called? Please, god, NO No. The poor kid had the entire walk home to ponder his (or her) fate. Today, if people in the workplace are bullies, supervisors can't just say "Get out of here if you can't respect other people, and don't let the door slam your butt on the way out." No, first the supervisor has to check the file, determine tenure, make certain he's not violating a race or gender code, file six million reports on the offender, and then ask permission of HIS superiors before he fires the bully. Why? Because there is no longer respect for authority, respect for elders, or respect for anything. Now there are just rules and regulations that hamper the intelligent and swift meting out of justice for obvious infractions of common decency. Again, why? Because society has apparently determined that the old axiom that with responsibility comes authority no longer applies. There is no distinction in authority between children and the parents that have responsibility for them. None. There is no such thing as "back talk" or insolence. Now children speak any way they wish to their parents and teachers, knowing that there is no longer such a thing as respect. How liberating for the little dears. There are simply laws that protect them and their mouths. Obedience? That belongs in the past. Loyalty is somewhere out there, too--with obedience. I have only one thing to say to the parents and teachers who are dealing with today's youth--on a level playing field--now that authority no longer commands respect--now that everyone is "equal"-- One tiny thing to say.... HOW'S THAT WORKIN' FOR YA????? Mary Ellen Barney, IL Dan, I just have to speak my mind tonight, and since I don’t have my own blog, I’m using yours. Sorry.
Whatever happened to respect for one’s elders? Whatever happened to being seen and not heard? Whatever happened to “because I said so”? These seem very archaic now, don’t they? But they worked. There was a day when the difficult people–about which we hear and talk so much–were rarely found in the classroom, unless they were teaching. No, teachers ruled the roost, and if a lippy student wanted to be obnoxious (oops, I mean assert his or her rights), they were summarily discharged to the principal–who did NOT, I repeat did NOT reprimand the teacher. To the contrary, the principal made it a point to scare the living bajeebers out of the student. The perpetrator’s big concern? Will my parents be called? Please, god, NO No. The poor kid had the entire walk home to ponder his (or her) fate.

Today, if people in the workplace are bullies, supervisors can’t just say “Get out of here if you can’t respect other people, and don’t let the door slam your butt on the way out.” No, first the supervisor has to check the file, determine tenure, make certain he’s not violating a race or gender code, file six million reports on the offender, and then ask permission of HIS superiors before he fires the bully. Why? Because there is no longer respect for authority, respect for elders, or respect for anything. Now there are just rules and regulations that hamper the intelligent and swift meting out of justice for obvious infractions of common decency. Again, why? Because society has apparently determined that the old axiom that with responsibility comes authority no longer applies. There is no distinction in authority between children and the parents that have responsibility for them. None. There is no such thing as “back talk” or insolence. Now children speak any way they wish to their parents and teachers, knowing that there is no longer such a thing as respect. How liberating for the little dears. There are simply laws that protect them and their mouths. Obedience? That belongs in the past. Loyalty is somewhere out there, too–with obedience.
I have only one thing to say to the parents and teachers who are dealing with today’s youth–on a level playing field–now that authority no longer commands respect–now that everyone is “equal”–

One tiny thing to say….
HOW’S THAT WORKIN’ FOR YA?????

Mary Ellen Barney, IL

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