Professional & Kind, but not a pushover

Nov 9

2 things you need to know to be Professional and Kind, but not a pushover

“Polite, but firm.”

I love that phrase. Because it tells me that I can still be me—kind, generous, warm and friendly—AND have strong boundaries.

And I love that I can be and have both.

Boundaries and kindness can go together. In fact, I would argue that having boundaries makes it easier to be kind, because you don’t have feelings of bitterness, resentment, or exhaustion clouding the joy of being kind and giving.

When dealing with clients, or any others in a professional typesetting here is what I want you to know about being professional and kind, but not a pushover when there is a disagreement or confrontation:

1. Give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

Truly—for a couple reasons:

A: You never know what people are going through. Maybe that new client who is asking for discounts or refunds, or showing up late may be stressing over losing their job, a cheating spouse, or an ill family member. Maybe they genuinely made a mistake or misread something.

Have you ever been in a stressful situation that caused you to not act like yourself? Have you ever done something out of character because you were in a cycle of lack and scarcity? Let’s give people some compassion. We all go through tough times…

Maybe that person does not actually realize they are being disrespectful. Maybe they never learned that the behavior was rude or inconsiderate. Maybe they allow others to do it to them in their own business/work/life, and they think it’s normal behavior.

B. You may have made a mistake.

How embarrassed would you be if you reacted to someone blaming them when in fact it turned out to be your fault? Always check if you overlooked something or you did not make something clear in your communication from the customer’s perspective.

2. Speak and act with Kindness and Respect while firmly stating your boundaries and offering a solution.

A: Because it’s who you are and it’s how you choose to operate

You don’t want to regret your behavior and actions down the road. A year from now, would you want to see a nasty email you wrote floating around the internet or in social circles? Or a screenshot on social media of a moment of anger? Always respond with this in mind: “How do I want to be remembered”? As the triggered little girl who lashed out? OR as the strong, confident woman who handled things with respect and kindness—(like a BOSS) ? People may not remember the reason for the conflict, but they will remember how you treated them.

B: You may gain a wonderful client, colleague or friend out of it! You never know when a situation can turn around into something positive. Respect and kindness go a long way. People want to feel like they were listened to and respected.

That all being said…..please know that no one gets to disrespect you. If you have very clear boundaries that are communicated and enforced, you have every right to state them and stand beside them. If you choose to offer a solution that would benefit both you and the other party, do it from a place of desire for the long term growth and success of your business and because you genuinely care about excellent customer service.

Do not do it out of a sense of people pleasing or obligation, because I can guarantee you’ll feel resentful AND you will continue to attract those types of clients because you are an energetic match for THAT.

Professional and Kind, but not a pushover :)