Social Support Success: Taking the High Road
One way to succeed in your social support career is to always "take the high road" when dealing with both customers and co-workers. What I mean by this is to avoid hasty responses, snap judgements, and harsh criticisms of the various people you encounter throughout your work day, no matter who they are.
Our field is hard enough. We have demanding customers that need assistance and are on a deadline. They are probably ready to rake you over the coals before an attempt for help is even made!
We also work with high pressured individuals that expect things from us on a daily basis. Unfortunately, these types of people may not always respond to us in the way we would like. Sometimes outright nastiness can ensue even from a trusted colleague. You might even overhear some criticism of your work or even some part of your personality that they might not like.
So how do you react to these folks that want to make your day a bad one?
As a white male with Scotch-Irish background and upbringing, when criticized, it's very hard for me not to react just has harshly in kind. Before I came into this position, I probably would have fired back with both barrels! Perhaps you have the same problem. If so, you're like me. We don't take too kindly to criticism even when it is given in the cheeriest manner, or constructively with the best intentions.
What I've learned is that reacting harshly to criticism in the role of a support professional will backfire on you if you do so defensively. What I've learned is to "take the high road" in business communication.
To me, that means to avoid responding too hastily or too harshly, and thinking through giving a proper, measured response before I blurt out my first response. What I found works for me is a response that will be communicated without a trace of criticism, bitterness or cynicism. Your response should strive to be kind and without judgement, even though that person may be in the wrong, called you names, or were impatient with you in the first place.
Taking this stance is difficult, however. You'll make mistakes along the way. You'll probably erase a hundred emails or tweets before you make the right response, a response free from confrontation (even though you've been confronted)—but don't let mistakes bother you. You're learning to take the high road—and that will definitely help you grow as a professional in the support field.