Did you know that some people have short memories, and others not so short? There are a few instances where I have let someone down, through no fault of my own, and afterwards I have quickly contacted the person involved and apologized and hoped that I could make it up to them in some way. That worked out well for me, my reputation remained intact and we all moved on. The memory I left behind with these people was obviously a good one.
There are instances when we are let down and it is as if no one cares, and it becomes quite difficult when we come into contact with these people at business related events, or even on social media platforms. We all have choices, we can be the bigger person and forget the past, or we can bear a grudge and not want to associate with these people. This is when we have to think about the benefits of forgiving and forgetting, or refuse to forget and, in some cases share with others how we felt let down and this is the reason we will not do business with that person.
I treat each situation differently when I feel I have been let down, I take into account how serious the incident was, and how it impacted my life/business and how well I know and respect the person involved. There are some rules I keep for my own use, and these come into play when I have this kind of decision to make. For an example a rule could be that if the same person let you down more than once you would not answer their emails if they persisted even after you shared with them that you no longer wanted to be associated with them. Everyone has their own rules as I like to call them and make their own ideas up about what works for them. In my case I do not often turn my back on someone forever, but I may need time to think about the situation and move on before I connect with them again.
So, if you have been let down by someone in business and you have a decision to make, take a deep breath, find the rational you and take time to think about the situation before you make a decision that could impact not only you but the other person.
We all let people down at some time in our lives, and I prefer to be the person who can forgive and forget 99% of the time, and not be remembered as the person who had issues with everyone, and could never move on. Food for thought I think
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