In my career, I’ve done as much “relating” as anyone. Media relations, client relations, community relations…you get the idea. I’m always the first person to say that building relationships is more about listening than it is about talking.
(And I stand by that. It’s very important.)
But sometimes…you just have to walk away.
(Cue Ben Harper music here.)
OK, maybe not literally, but there gets to a point where you have to stop listening to, to stop reading, what people are saying about you, and your brand/company/mother. With the ease and anonymity of the internet, we can easily fall down the rabbit hole. I’m here to tell you that you can not please everyone. News flash or not, coming from someone who makes a living holding people’s hands (figuratively – and sometimes literally), I can tell you that this is one of the hardest things about my job. I want you to like me…and my brand/company/mother.
Haters are gonna hate. Do me (and yourself) a favor and read Tim Ferriss: 7 Great Principles for Dealing with Haters. I don’t know if it will change your life, but it certainly will save you from banging your head against your desk a few times a day.
