I often talk about how important it is to manage ourselves first before managing staff.

But it doesn’t stop there.

In our business, it’s equally important to manage ourselves first before dealing with customers.

When we get triggered by a rude, impatient or thoughtless customer, everything we’re trying to achieve in the way of customer service can go flying out the window.

But something else can go flying right out there with it and in many ways it’s a more important part.

It’s the respect we have for ourselves as professionals.

It’s that good feeling we have when we are able to see the situation for what it is, we’re clear and can act gracefully and appropriately.

I think in the end, we always feel a little humiliated when we get triggered because it’s not really who we want to be.

So, this brings us to managing ourselves. Yes, easier said than done.

But here’s some things to try:

1. Plan for tough customer interactions. Work it though in your own mind. See that the whole key is not taking it personal. Who knows what’s going on in the customer’s world that has them all keyed up. It’s for their reasons and not a reflection on you.

2. Practice. Work through some scenarios in your huddles and meetings. Get some phrasing down and be ready to go.

3. Help your co-workers in real time when they’re going through it. Remind them that we don’t build skills when we blame. Help them shake it off and get perspective.

It is really quite vitalizing to the spirit to learn how to steadfastly interact with someone who is behaving in an inappropriate way and not have the rug pulled out.

Go for it.

These are skills we can use every day in and out of work.