ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT & PEOPLE
Let the World Go ‘Round
JoAnna Bennett, O’Brien Communications Group
10 August 2017
The human brain is full of unique intricacies. The way we absorb information, effectively communicate, react to situations, and experience the world around is different in all of us. If you are in account management or client services, knowing and accepting that fact can make your job much easier. Several moments each day, I have to take a step back and remember that I am dealing with people who are different from me. They may be incredibly dense or unclear in their intentions or unable to effectively accomplish many things, but they must have different strengths than I do. And for that, I must give them a break.
The following list has been created entirely for humor and therapeutic purposes. No malicious intent is intended.
Donnie Dunning. This guy only absorbs information when you have an hour-plus phone conversation with him. He also prefers to ramble on for most of the time, rarely letting you speak to see if you understand what he’s saying. He also happens to think he is the center of the universe, so anything you do in your professional or personal lives should occur while keeping him firmly in mind. This guy somehow manages to climb to the top of the corporate ladder: If you judge a person by income level, this guy is amazing.
Patty Pyramid. To feel as if she matters, she reacts to every situation quickly, in knee-jerk fashion. She doesn’t really absorb much information, so perhaps we haven’t figured out that part about her. But she does communicate regularly, via email or on the phone. She always wants to talk things out so that – you guessed it – she matters. She loves to take up a different multi-level marketing opportunity every few months and bring up her new passion to you to get your feedback. However, when you start to speak, she quickly cuts you off to move on to the next important topic.
Larry Lumbergh. He communicates effectively and absorbs information best when reading the written word. Email is his best communication tool, since he can readily absorb content and clearly dictate direction. But in person or on the phone, he can be a mumbling mess. This guy’s main downfall is his inability to let others take the helm. He says he wants to be the hands-off type of guy, yet he is always looking over Sandra’s shoulder to make sure the TPS report covers are done correctly. Then he complains that he doesn’t have time to take care of the company’s strategic goals.
Whether financial stability, diversity in passion, or the need to touch everything defines your happiness, more power to you. We all tick in different ways. That’s what makes the world go ‘round. Just remember – even the most stubborn and difficult clients and customers are humans, too. You just have to find the best ways to deal with their varied intricacies.
