We are always in a hurry to get work done and out of the way, but often at the expense of being insensitive to one another.
The corporate world can be vicious, mainly driven by countless timelines, client expectations, KPIs (key performance indicators), fierce competition, the race for bonuses and many other factors.
The pressure can be immense, but we all have a job to do and in the battle to succeed, we sometimes fail to appreciate the cost involved. Too many times we get lost in the noise and forget we are human beings and dealing with fellow human beings.
Human beings are a difficult bunch to deal with; driven by ambitions and goals that sometimes defy understanding, but always accompanied by a range of feelings to turn those desires into reality.
You can never master all these feelings directed at you, but you can learn not to allow these negative vibes to put you down and cause you stress at work. Time and patience are crucial.
Take time to get to know the people you surround yourself with on a daily basis including workmates, clients and the media. In the agency culture, the list can lengthy, but it is equally as important as that report you send out every morning.
A personal touch to everything I do has always done the trick for me.
It could be diarizing their birthdays, and from time to time make phone call check-ins. A simple thanks and knowing a few family details also help.
Human beings love to feel that they matter. This is just the trick you need to break down that tough and negative attitude-like invisible wall in almost every corporate office. Smiling is an essential. It might take considerable time for many to come around, but when it does, things move along a lot more smoothly. The most difficult ones will need much ‘wooing’ but one day that wall will also come crumbling down.
Take your time while building those media relations, hung in there and do not forget, a personal touch will always lubricate the engine.