Small Business Today Magazine NOV 2014 EXHIBIT NETWORK | Page 22

EDITORIALFEATURE How to Avoid Getting Taken Advantage Of In Business                      By Aaron Kaplan I If you’re unsure if you’re a people pleaser and are giving away more than you should in your business, relenting when you don’t want to, or providing support to others when you’re unable to offer yourself support, pay attention to the following the next time you choose to say yes and go along with what others want, even if you don’t want to:   • A knot in your stomach • A constriction in your throat • An indefinable, knowing anger • Feeling like a disappointment because everyone’s demands are more than you can possibly give • A sense of being unappreciated • Feeling hopeless, tired, and confused and never understanding what people want • Holding negative thoughts toward the person whom you allowed to cross your boundary  People often tell me about things they didn’t want to do but felt they had to do, such as:   • Going along with whatever their client/customer wanted because it seemed far easier than saying no • Automatically agreeing with a coworker or customer in order to keep the connection and feel appreciated • Going out of their way to make the customer/client feel good – and i