TRAPPSTR

You can’t rage against yourself

Posted on 13. Aug, 2009 by Brett in Leadership, Wrk

Democrats rage against Republicans. Fans of Manchester United rage against Liverpool fans. Same with cats & dogs…always at war.

That’s how it goes with rivals.

You don’t see this with bicycle riders and car drivers though. They are forced to share the same turf, and cyclists are the vast minority. Every year, many cyclists are injured and killed by motorists. It’s a tragedy. But there is no hate. No rage. No picketing. Someone might launch a safety campaign. But that’s it. Could you imagine a bunch of cyclists attacking some drivers in retaliation?

Why? Where’s the outrage? Why don’t the cyclists ban together to defeat the drivers?

Because cyclists are drivers. They cycle and they drive. They play both roles, and you can’t rage against yourself.

Same way with family. We have a short fuse if a stranger wrongs us. But we’ll give grace a million times to a family member. Why? Because we are one of them. They are one of us. They are one of me.

If your customers are upset, make them one of you. Make them an insider. Invite them into the conversation, and make them a character in your story. I bet their tune will change.