MARKETING EVOLUTION
Handling Loss In Business
By Marion Wakahe
To be deprived of or to cease to be in possession of something or someone is not an easy thing . We have all experienced losses , some not so detrimental , others significant . Losing an ATM card or car keys causes inconvenience and irritation but can ’ t be compared to the pain of losing a customer , business , sale , marriage , etc . with the most painful loss being the loss of life .
I believe that we create attachments to the things and people around us , some attachments loose , others tight . In the process they somewhat become a part of us that being cut off from them is akin to losing a limb . We suffer phantom pains that take long to ease off .
Loss is a pain that is universal and yet very personal . Loss is also inevitable . When it comes to the business scenario , there ’ s a push to suppress the emotions we feel as a result of losing out on a sales opportunity , losing a client to a competitor , damage or loss of property , amongst others . One thing I ’ ve come to appreciate is the only way out of pain is through it . This basically means first accepting that there is a loss and then working out of that pain in healthy ways .
We ’ re not taught though how to handle the emotional / psychological aspects of loss and pain most especially in business settings . In her book Option B , Sheryl Sandberg tells the story of numerous attempts to ignore the elephant in the room . She had just lost her husband Dave and whilst everyone at Facebook was aware of this loss , very few even made reference to it . Most spoke to her as though nothing happened , business as usual .
To me that ’ s the right thing to do ; in order to avoid making you feel sad , let ’ s just completely ignore the fact that you lost someone you love and speak about other issues . In Sheryl ’ s perspective however , that made her feel as though Dave never was …. And that ’ s the thing ; most of us don ’ t know how to speak to , comfort or behave around someone who ’ s suffered major loss .
There ’ s a push to adopt the subject of emotional intelligence as part of school curricula . Singapore for example has fully incorporated emotional skill intelligence in its public school system . Kenya will hopefully get onto that bandwagon sooner rather than later .
We need to learn to better deal with our own emotions and take better care of our mental and psychological well-being . Whilst there ’ s been a clarion call on matters mental health and wellness most still dismiss the subject . Showing emotion and being vulnerable is still shunned ; there ’ s a long way to go .
Routine tasks such as making widgets and standardized documents will be taken over by machines . The world of work now requires a depth of intelligence , creativity , social and emotional skills . Even for those who do tech heavy , analytical jobs , today ’ s work environment requires collaboration with others which means people need to know how to be with other people .
More so , we need to learn to better deal with our own emotions and take better care of our mental and psychological wellbeing . Whilst there ’ s been a clarion call on matters mental health and wellness most still dismiss the subject . Showing emotion and being vulnerable is still shunned ; there ’ s a long way to go .
There ’ s this popular thought , “ When you come to work , leave your emotions at the door and get to work !” How silly , me thinks . How silly ! My emotions are a part of me and play a huge role in allowing me to work as well as I do . I could go on , what I ’ m trying to emphasize is that it ’ s okay to feel and rather than push feelings away , feel them and process them .
When it does happen , that loss and the resulting pain , the steps below will help in emerging better , more focused and stronger !
Find a Healthy Catharsis
Thus far it ’ s been emphasized that suppressing the emotions after loss is unhealthy . There are right ways to deal with the pain . Unfortunately , there have been many cases where people have done things they wish belatedly they could take back .
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