I Didn’t Make It For You
The service industry has that name for a reason. Those of us who are in it pride ourselves on delivering excellent service. We go to great lengths to make people happy, to please our guests, and to create experiences that they will remember for years to come. The best of the best do this consistently. Day in and day out they work hard to deliver on their promise and in doing so, they develop incredible reputations. But in that process they attract something far less desirable - critics and haters.
Last week we received a one star review on Google. In partnership with a local charity, we donated 800 meals to those in need, and while the review was not from our partner (who was very happy with everything), it was in reference to those meals. As I read the review, my heart began to sink. I was frustrated, upset and was dreading having to tell my team who had taken so much pride in preparing the food. My first thought was to respond with some choice words and to remind her that it was a free meal. After consulting with our leadership team, I calmed down and typed a heartfelt response offering to bring her another meal. In a crazy turn of events, we found out that the woman who gave us the scathing review, didn’t even have a meal - she actually requested not to get one two days prior to us delivering them. I’m not sure what sparked her desire to blast us online, but I’m grateful she decided to remove the review after our thoughtful response.
Whether it’s jealousy, anger, or simply to make people feel better about themselves, there seems to be this desire to tear down leaders and companies that are great. To pick apart their every mistake and shine a spotlight on their flaws. I’m not talking about constructive criticism that can help us grow, I’m talking about the people that relish in seeing others fail and are quick to point it out to the world. Aristotle said; “There is only one way to avoid criticism; do nothing, say nothing and be nothing”. So, as leaders who strive to make a difference in this world, we must understand that this simply comes with the territory. But what can we do about it?
First of all, don’t try to please everybody. If 95% of your clients love something you do, then keep doing it! Don’t change because the loud 5% wants you to. It’s ok to say to those people, “I’m sorry, I didn’t make this for you.” Too often we get caught up spending an inordinate amount of time trying to make a small percentage happy, and in doing so we alienate the majority that already love us. If we redirect our attention and energy toward those that love us, we will more than make up for the loss of that 5% in new customers that actually appreciate what we do.
The second is to take a deep breath and then take the high road. The critics want to pull you down to their level and try to get you to engage in a petty war of words. Great leaders are able to have thick skin and rise above this. There is little to gain by fighting back when someone is unreasonable. You are better off to be gracious and move on. Zig Ziegler said; ”Don’t be distracted by criticism. Remember, the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you”.
It’s natural to feel the sting of the critics and the haters. I’m sure you’ve experienced it many times. Take it as an acknowledgment that you are doing a lot of things right and remember anything that is difficult, only makes you stronger. In this case, it will make you a better leader. And for those of you who didn’t like this week’s MIBE Message, that’s ok, I didn’t make it for you.