How things begin often shape our experience far more than we, at least I, want to admit. I know that when I sat outside for ninety plus minutes before starting my current role, I was beyond upset. Even though I understand the sequence of events, a critical one that did not happen combined with another that was beyond the normal ability to control, I still find myself struggling with my emotions.
I have a soft spot for the new. Nobody should have to go through what I did. It was so unnecessary. I am not alone. Others have had a variation of the same experience. Their anger resurfaces when we get anywhere near the subject.
A conversation about what clients go through when they first start their relationship with us is similar. We behave like a regulated business. We know we have to adhere to the rules. We understand that there are rigorous processes that need to be followed. We seem to like rules! I wish there was a rule about being nice.
I am in two parallel conversations. One centers on new employees. Many have views. In my opinion, they come from a so-so experience. They accept this as good. They are not dealing with any emotions from being told that you are not welcome even before you have had a chance to get anyone angry. There is little openness to hearing the perspective of someone who has been through what one should never have to go through.
The second centers on the client experience. I recently sat in on a conference call of my peers. As we thrashed this subject, I found myself coming to the realization that they accept the fact that life will be difficult at the beginning. The awareness of what might be was not there.
The undiscovered answer is this. In all situations, we need to model what happened when an entourage came to a new city. “And then we came to Rome. Friends in Rome heard we were on the way and came out to meet us.” (Acts 28.14)
