Pay Attention to What Makes You Cringe

DC Talk, a band from the 90s, once sang, “Some people gotta learn the hard way. I guess I’m the kind of guy who has to find out for myself.”

While this may be true for most, my approach to life has been the exact opposite. I’ve always learned quite a bit from paying attention to the mistakes of people around me.

I was the youngest of five kids.

We were a blended family from early on, so I spent a lot of time around my older sister and three older step-siblings. As an observant nine-year old, I figured out pretty quickly what I could get away with and what I couldn’t. There was always a line I knew I could tip-toe up to, and as long as I didn’t cross it, I wouldn’t get in trouble. And I learned about how close I could get to that line from watching my brothers and sisters.

From an early age, I learned there was real value in paying attention to the mistakes of those around me. I learned that ultimately, every situation is an opportunity to learn, whether it’s us in the situation or someone we’re connected to.

Learning from others applies to business, too.

At Storyline, we’ve learned what we want our company to become from experiencing and paying attention to the mistakes of other companies.

Photo Credit: Mikaela Hamilton

For example, I had a horrible customer service experience when I was moving this past Fall. I’d gone to pick up a rental truck, and as they were asking me to pay, the amount quoted at the cash register was a few hundred dollars more than the estimated total I was given over the phone a few days prior.

As I inquired about the difference to the cashier, he didn’t acknowledge my situation at all. Instead, he communicated, Well, that’s how much it is and I can’t do a thing about it. It would have taken them 10 seconds to acknowledge my concern and make me feel cared for.

But they chose not to.

The fact that I wasn’t cared for as a customer made me frustrated and reminded me of the undisputable importance of acknowledging and informing our customers. I never want anyone to feel the way I felt that day.

Whether it’s in business or something you experience at home, pay attention to what is happening around you. Pay attention to what makes you cringe. Learn from those who “have to learn the hard way,” and keep yourself out of the same experiences.

Pay Attention to What Makes You Cringe is a post from: Storyline Blog