Sometimes (okay, lots of times) I struggle with taking things personally. I don't mean to. Part of it is that I assume motive when there isn't one. For example, there is work. At one of my jobs, my favorite thing is to interact with customers. Lately, I've been delegated to scanning and ordering shelves. I don't mind it some, but I've noticed that I've begun to take it personally. I assume that they don't want me working with customers.
Reality check, if I was that bad with customers, I wouldn't still be working there.
Still, I was disappointed Friday night to see that I was down for the same thing I had done the last several times I worked. I think it read on my face. My manager and I ended up talking a bit. She said, "Do you know how important that is? Because you do that, everyone can find what they need. It is so important." I admitted that customer service felt worlds more important.
Yesterday, I had a chance to talk to her again. I wanted to make sure she knew I didn't mind it, but I just wanted some opportunity to work with customers. She seemed to understand that and said that she would see what they could do. But she also wanted me to know that it was really good business to have me doing the shelves -- not because I couldn't work with customers -- but because I am both highly accurate and very fast at it. I guess I get more done than most at it.
But the point is, that I took it personally. There was nothing personal about it. She actually saw it more as a compliment.
Do you ever take something personally that really isn't?
