We're All In This Together

We’re All In This Together

It costs you nothing to be kind and generous 

I know, this phrase has been way overused in the past several weeks — but it’s true! We are all in this together — but we’re also separate. We’re all adjusting to the new norm, at our own pace in our own way, and we’re all experiencing this in different ways. Some of us are doing it with our family and friends, and others are doing it alone. 

We are all trying to survive and thrive as the world around us changes minute by minute. It’s not easy! We’re trying to work from home and be productive, even as we’ve been forced to become home school teachers overnight, function as full-time parents, and lost virtually all connection to the outside world — all while trying to maintain good relationships, still be good friends, and much more all at the same time! That’s a lot to swallow. 

Each of us has a different story of how the great shutdown has impacted us, but we are doing our best to stay connected, reach our customers, and do our jobs to the best of our abilities. 

As I talk to people every day, I discover more and more the diversity of each of our own situations — some are busy and some are not. Some say business is great, some say it sucks.  Some are thriving and some struggling. Some have lost their jobs, while others have made major career changes during this time. Some are pivoting their business, while others have decided to wait for business to return like before — but here’s the reality… it won’t. 

But one thing is abundantly clear to me — we are all in this together, no matter how differently we’re experiencing it. As such, we respond differently, we act differently, and unfortunately, we are not always kind and generous with each other. 

Earlier this week, I got a phone call from a real estate solicitor (yep, the cold calling has begun again). This young man was inquiring if I was interested in selling my house to his client, since they were looking in my area. Let’s be clear — he didn’t have a client, he sits in a call center and is dialing for dollars to see if people will bite and his company might get a listing. All of this became clear as I started to ask him questions about the size house, price point, and more his client was looking for. None of it matched what is in my area.  

Now, I had a few choices here. My first choice was to answer the phone and be nice, which I did.  My second choice was to engage in the conversation, which I did, and my final choice was to help this young man, which I also did. All of these were good choices for me — as being kind to someone trying to survive and thrive in their unique circumstances costs me nothing! 

At one point during the call, he thanked me and went onto say that he typically gets “hung up on by now.” My response was another choice that cost me nothing. I responded with understanding that we are all just trying to do our jobs, make money, and provide for our families. 

Let’s be clear, I’m not a fan of cold calls, especially from those employees that are not well-informed, like this young man. But I feel his pain. Just like him, I’m doing my best to survive and thrive — and yes, I’m calling, emailing, and trying to drive business! We all are — we all are in this together. 

The thing is, I chose to be kind and generous in a scenario that easily could’ve gone the other way, with aggravation and frustration. I talked to him, helped him, and for the 5 minutes we were on the call, I made a positive impact on him. That was my choice! What choices have you made? How did you respond to the person who called you? Is it the way you want to be treated when you reach out? Likely not. 

It’s tough being in sales, especially right now. Not all of our clients want to talk to us about the products and services we sell, but we have to keep going. We have to keep trying. Our survival depends on it.  

So, the next time you get a call from someone that you know is going to try and sell you something, stop and think about your response. Are you responding as the person you really want to be? Remember, it costs you nothing to be kind and understanding. 

We are all in this together, so together, let’s be kind and generous and help our fellow citizens by taking a minute to listen and engage. You never know — the person on the other end could change your life as much as you can change theirs. 

Be kind! Be generous! Be human! Be the person the world needs, especially now.