Respect

R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
Find out what it means to me.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
Take care TCB (did you know that stands for taking care of business?) How appropriate :)

Can my girl Aretha sing that song, or can she sing that song? Whew! I feel like it’s my anthem today. I just want a little respect, so I can take care of business.

Let me take a step back for a minute.

Working in the sales profession, I deal with a lot of people. As you might imagine, it has its pro’s and con’s, just like every job would, but I’d consider myself pretty lucky with the specific group of people I get to work with.

You see, farmers, they are a different breed. They are not your typical everyday Joe. In my mind, they are a step above, and some of them maybe even two or three.

Farmers grew up and most still reside in rural America. Where you learn firsthand the meanings of the words “hard work” “dedication” “determination” “respect” “responsibility” “neighborly” … the list goes on and on.

The bottom line here: farmers are wonderful wholesome people with strong values and good integrity.

See why I’m lucky?

But some days? To put it lightly, they give me a massive headache. Like one that no Tylenol, ibuprofen, Advil, Aleve, Excedrin or any other over-the-counter drug that is rolling around the bottom of my purse that day could cure.

Working with people can be awfully frustrating if they tend to not exhibit the above said qualities I find so endearing.

For example, I need a customer to answer a question for me so I can move forward and meet my deadlines. I call said customer to find out the answer to my question. The customer does not answer (this is normal, they are busy feeding the world, and it’s a big job, obviously) so I leave a message. I do not hear back from the customer so I make a follow up call the next day to which they do not answer again. Because technology is a beautiful thing, I then email the customer explaining that I just need an answer on one question and we can move forward. I do not receive a phone call or email response. So – here we go again! :) I call (still no response) email (still no response) and now I send a letter explaining that I just need one little teeny weeny answer and I can move forward to meet his deadlines. 

I’ll stop typing out this long drawn out saga of my failed attempts of interactions with said customer here, because my fingers are starting to go numb. And you might start thinking that I am somewhat of a stalker, and we don’t need you thinking that, do we? :)

Anyways, long story short this cycle has continued for 19 days.

Nineteen days.

N-I-N-E-T-E-E-N  DAYS, PEOPLE.

Yes, I love my job very much. Yes, I love working with people. Yes, farmers are the best people in the world.

BUT NINETEEN DAYS!!?!?!?! You’ve got to be freaking kidding me.

*deep breath*

This is the moment where I usually become very quiet and kept to myself. I don’t go out and socialize with my other co-workers. I try to do all the work I can that doesn’t involve talking to people. I just need a moment, or two, or three.

To breathe.

I need to rationalize my thoughts. Get my head in the right place.

He’s doing one of three things in this situation:

1. He’s just honestly really busy feeding the world and will call me back when he has time. (Slightly rude.)

2. He’s not going to bring me his business. He is ignoring me because he doesn’t want to tell me he’s not going to give me his business. (Rude.)

Or,3. He’s shopping around with other competitors of mine and doesn’t want to tell me. (Also kinda rude.)

You see, he’s not a bad guy. He’s human. Humans mess up and don’t handle some situations like they should. No one is perfect.

But instead of letting these types of situations ruin my day, I choose to embrace them as learning opportunities of how to NOT treat people. Because everyone wants to be treated with respect.

Besides the fact that it’s absolutely not fun being pissed off and a negative Nancy. I mean have you ever been around one? What a drag!

So next time you are dealing with a friend, co-worker, family member or customer who is not treating you how you would like to be treated and it’s on the verge of ruining your day, take a step back and think about why you don’t like how they are treating you and how it makes you feel. Then make a vow to yourself that you will never, ever, ever, ever, like ever (yes, I just quoted Taylor Swift. No, I’m not sorry) make anyone feel the way you feel at that moment. You’ll never do these things to other people that you find so rude.

Because it’s not nice. And your mama taught you better than that.