Recently, Lynette Chandler from BlogEnergizer.com, challenged us to write about a teacher who has influenced or inspired us in business or life. At first, I couldn’t think of anything to write, but you know me. I’m a chatter box and once the thoughts started flowing, I found that I have a lot to say on the subject. So, here is what I’ve discovered about myself and my business because of the Teachers In Our Lives project.
As I think back, I realize that my teachers made more of an impact than I originally thought. Each one taught me more than the material required for the class. They taught me lessons for life, especially Mr. Scott.
In school, I was the kid who sat in the front and took a lot of notes because I didn’t want to miss anything. Believe it or not, I was also shy about asking questions in front of everyone so I would usually go to the teacher before or after class. This is the student that my teachers had to deal with until things started to change when I found my voice – my poor teachers!
It was all Mr. Scott’s fault. Ordinarily, he taught Chemistry, Biology, and other Science courses but he also taught me how to voice my ideas and needs. Mr. Scott was a good listener, very fair, understanding, flexible, and funny. Because he knew how to listen and made me feel comfy, I learned to speak up. I’m almost sure if the other teachers had known he helped me gain my voice, they would have shoved him in a boxcar of the closest west-bound train!
Can you imagine actually standing up in class and informing your teacher that he needed to move the test date because you had another test on the same day? Well, that’s just what I did! I told him that we (the class) had another hard test on the same day and that if I had to choose which test to study for, it wouldn’t be his.
Bless Mr. Scott’s heart! He didn’t get offended. He listened, talked to the other kids, thought about it, and changed the test date.
Could I have done that with all the other teachers? No, I couldn’t and wouldn’t because I didn’t trust and respect them as much as Mr. Scott. Time after time, he had proven that he really listened, cared, and was willing to help with a problem.
I often think of Mr. Scott and his ability to listen, care, instill trust, and bring out the best in people. In life and in business, these are the things that draw people to us and make our lives richer. If you want to have a richer personal and business life, take time to really listen, instill trust, care, and bring out the best in those around you. Thanks, Mr. Scott for such wonderful life lessons.
Has a teacher made a difference in your life? Please share your experience below.
LOL Kit! You are funny as always. Shoved him into a boxcar of the closest west-bound train. Oh… but what would we do without who you are now?
I think teachers can be the ultimate customer service rep. That kind of patience required oh! I would not have lasted 5 minutes. Yet you are right it’s not just patience but instill trust. That is something I never quite thought of but it is true. It is one of those unacknowledged ‘jobs’ our customer service people must perform. If they can’t trust customer service when they call, they can’t trust our business.
Thanks for sharing Kit!
Glad I could give you a giggle, Lynette! Mr. Scott was so patient with me and found humor in a lot of the things I did. I can still see him with a big grin and shaking his head at me.
As a customer rep, you do have to have a lot of patience and understanding. This is partially because you hear the same things over and over. It can “get to you” after a while if you can’t find the humor in each situation and see each customer as an individual.
When you’re looking for a customer service rep, there are many qualities you want to look for but trust, patience, and the ability to draw the line (or speak up) are among the top items.