Negativity

Happy Independence Day - Flag flying on the Hutson House
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Marcy’s 10 (actually 11) Rules for the Workplace

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Every year our fabulous boss sends out a special It’s-Independence-Day-YAY!-And-We’ve-Hit-the-Mid-Year-Point-YAY AGAIN! email right before we head out for a our time off for the 4th of July. Marcy’s father was a distinguished World War II veteran and a history teacher, so these communications serve to honor him while simultaneously preparing us to enjoy our time off and get ready to take on Qs 3 and 4.

It is with her permission that I paraphrase and share this year’s “Annual 4th of July Message.”

The 4th of July is quickly approaching which means it’s the MID YEAR point. A time for summer cook outs, fireworks and the celebration of our nation’s 239th birthday! As always, it’s my opportunity for a history lesson combined with some reflective thoughts on our work.

In past communications, I’ve commented on different branches of the military, our operating beliefs/philosophy in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the struggle that resulted in the Gettysburg Address, and our country’s Pledge of Allegiance. Last year, it was the power of visual symbols and how they evoke emotion and stability during times of change and turmoil.

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Haters Gonna Hate: Dealing with Negativity in the Social Space

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We’ve all encountered negativity in the social space.  It often comes in the form of nasty reviews, personal attacks, brand bashing, even bullying behavior.  But it can also come in the form of a frustrated customer seeking assistance for an issue or answer to a question.

First let’s address the haters, bashers, trolls and bullies…

A while back when I had more time on my hands, I used to blog about issues, often politically-charged ones, that were near and dear to my heart. One post that was inspired by several back-to-back incidents of horrible parenting I had witnessed garnered one response that crossed the line from critical comment to targeted personal attack.  Although the comment was posted anonymously, given the content of the attack and the poor grammar, which was a thinly-veiled attempt to disguise the commenter’s identity, I know exactly who authored the comment.  I did post a response, but what I realized afterward was that I didn’t need to.  Why? Because my supporters came out in full force to defend me.  Turns out there were many people who read my post and agreed with me and were more than happy to put my attacker in her place.

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