Embrace the obvious!
One of the most curious things about people is their difficulty in recognizing the obvious — that which is right in front of their faces. Do you ever notice that when you are looking for your keys, they are in your hand? How about when you want to find your glasses and they are sitting right on top of your head? Read more
DOES PRIDE GET IN THE WAY OF COMMON SENSE?
Do you know someone who:
It appears that playing “victim” in the U.S. is getting more popular these days. I’m struck with all the whining, blaming, accusing, and bellyaching. It seems like playing the victim is now becoming fashionable!
Many people unconsciously play a victim role and, in so doing, they enable others to mistreat, criticize, take advantage, and be disrespectful to them. Others consciously choose to play victim so that they can continue to be irresponsible and blame others for their misfortunes. Read more
How to Deal with People Feeling Sorry for Themselves
When you encounter people who are good at playing the role of professional victim, you will often notice that you routinely get seduced by them because they whine and they want an audience. When people swim around in the pity pot they often want you to feel sorry for them so they can describe the breadth of their terrible situation without any interest in solving it or doing anything about it. They simply want you to pay attention to them while they enjoy the “poor me” and describe the “delicious agony of life.” There seems to be something curiously attractive about being a victim and a martyr… apparently sacrificing yourself does get attention. They will often say things to you like, “You couldn’t possibly understand what I have been through.” Then you can expect them to waste your time while they describe the “poor me” in great detail and they can enjoy their victimhood and contest of who is the most oppressed person. You will want to appear interested and likely conclude that you have enabled them to play victim while you are trying to be nice, empathetic, and appreciative of their plight.
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I have just been featured in the California Business Journal — front page. I encourage you to take a look at it and let me know your thoughts. Click here: California Business Journal Many thanks to all of you for your ongoing interest and support. It is most appreciated! At your service, Dr. J. Mitchell Perry |
After more than four decades in the business of creating improved behavior and relationship and performance effectiveness, it has been routinely and abundantly clear that RESCUING AND FIXING OTHERS FAILS MOST OF THE TIME, in particular, when it is YOUR IDEA TO DO THE RESCUING! Read more
SOME PEOPLE ARE TALKERS; they just love to talk and keep on talking. They are able to change subjects at a moment’s notice, rarely completing one thought before starting another. Blah, Blah, Blah. You have probably known people like this.
WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?
How do you deal with these professional talkers? Most of the time, you probably wait for them to STOP TALKING. You may be concerned that you will be RUDE if you interrupt them, so you simply wait and hope they will stop… AND THEY KEEP TALKING! Read more
Remembering their names… we all have trouble with this one.
How often do you notice that you forget people’s names? You will be at a reception and meet someone, and he will say, “Hello, my name is Steve Harrison.” You will respond, “It is nice to meet you.” Then after five minutes of conversation you will have already forgotten his name. Red Alert!
How embarrassing! Now you feel stupid because you just met this guy and are unable to remember his name.
Are we becoming infected?
I am afraid sometimes that I am. Yikes!
The whining, the criticizing, the condemning, the blaming, the bellyaching, the awfulizing, the complaining, the catastrophizing, the obsessing… all delivered by so many victims and malcontents. Oh my, enough already!
For many decades, the media has routinely delivered the news and it has almost always been bad. Whether you see it, read it, or listen to it… it is 90% BAD NEWS.