Empathic or arrogant?

It appears that, at times, when trying to be empathic we may instead display a kind of inadvertent arrogance. This is represented in an oft used statement which, on the face of it,  may seem perfectly reasonable. It can tend to trip off the tongue when another person is upset or distressed by something. So, […]

A not so golden rule

Imagine you are working at an airport. It’s a small regional airport and an outgoing flight with 100 passengers waiting to board is indefinitely delayed owing to a faulty plane. As the evening wears on, the shop and cafeteria close and the passengers become increasingly tired and hungry. Eventually, you decide to take an initiative. Thinking […]

Politeness is all well and good……

“Say please, say thank you” – this is the mantra of many a parent during their youngsters’ formative years. They are the two base words for being polite. They are good words, and perfectly appropriate in all manner of situations. They embody good manners. Yet, I happen to have quite an issue with the notion […]

Understanding

A few weeks back I promised a mate I’d watch a TV programme on line that he’d referred me to. I haven’t got round to it yet, as it’s a show that seeks to disprove the value and efficacy of complementary therapies. To be honest, I’m not sure I really want to watch it, given […]

Shocking Phil

Just a few days ago I declared to a man called Phil that he was the most important person in my life, at that moment.  He was certainly taken aback!  And, indeed  you may think: “ Goodness me – has Chris taken a liking to a potential new, male life partner and thinking of abandoning Ingrid and […]

Two men and a hole – a lesson in empathy

A word that often comes up when I’m running customer care courses is empathy. However, when I challenge people to come up with a definition, especially as distinct from sympathy, they often struggle. So, I turn to a distinction I heard years ago on a motivational tape by a man called Bill O’Brien. Whilst it […]

Give and get

Are you a person who tends to give as good as they get? Last week, as I was about to kick off a training course, three of the delegates arrived looking rather unenthusiastic to say the least. The three men sat down together – body language clearly indicating that they most definitely did not want […]