REFLECTIONS

If you’re in Australia, I’m sure you know, Monday 11th October 2021 was dubbed ‘freedom day’ in NSW.

I live in Sydney, so in theory I should have been racing to Kmart to stock up on storage jars and then gorging on nigiri at the local sushi train.

But to be honest, I just feel like hiding for a bit longer. 

I think lots of people who know me would say I’m confident, outgoing and have strong opinions I don’t mind sharing.

I also love my own space, time with my creative thoughts, being in a cocoon of calm.

If I had to give myself a label, I’m probably an outgoing introvert. There are aspects of lockdown that have suited me just fine.

~ No pressure to be social and make plans
~ Time to just be
~ Having my babies close at a time when things outside don’t feel safe

I know plenty of people have struggled and I’m lucky to be able to say all this.

But now, as I see the ‘freedom day’ celebrations at every turn… everyone rushing to shop, get their eyebrows done and socialise in close proximity… I feel some pressure to do the same.

There is also a lot of value in learning to accept ‘no’ too.

On that basis, a lot of energy and focus goes into the customer experience to create positive parameters and boundaries. In effect this is about how we say ‘no’ to our clients without upsetting the apple cart or negatively impacting brand perception.

But what about other relationships and how we respond to no. Because our broader network can have a significant impact on brand perception and business health too. When it comes to your suppliers, having a reputation for being difficult or unpleasant to work with can have a damaging affect, just as much as a negative Google review can.

I’d like to share a collection of short stories about Two Fingers Terry, Gaslight Gary and Condescending Colin. Names changed to protect their egos.