The fine art of finger-pointing.

This finger-pointing was nothing like Michaelangelo’s “Creation” fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

Nope. In this case, it was more like Michaelangelo’s “Last Judgment” on the wall behind the altar.

At the time, I was working in an ad agency and one of my clients was a large transit authority. We did marketing, advertising, and PR for the group. 

My contacts were high-level “C” management types, including the General Manager of the authority.

At one point, the GM had sent an email about some type of upcoming event he’d heard about. He was asking the team for general, individual feedback by a certain date, for later discussion. As the senior representative for the ad agency, I was also included. 

So, I read the GM's email and submitted my input by the date requested. 

A few days later, I got a very hostile call from my primary contact at the transit authority. The kind of call where you hold the phone away from your ear. He began his tirade by asking me, in a loud voice,

“Did you read the email from the GM?” 

“Yes.” I calmly told him.

He then asked me, in an accusatory tone, 

“Did you reply to it?” 

Again, I calmly replied, “I did.” 

It was at this point his anger became volcanic, as he blasted another question at me saying, 

“Why didn’t you tell me to read my emails?!!!”

I shook my head in disbelief. Then my awareness bulb went off. I realized not only had he not read the GM’s email, nor replied by the date requested; but he was also aggravated because the GM had apparently approached him, asking him for his input. He was now trying to shift responsibility for his screw-up and point the Finger of Blame somewhere else. 

And that somewhere else . . . was moi. 

Now, I’ve been around a while, and in the interest of protecting and expanding business, I believe in the “servant-leader” philosophy. I’ve generally been a proponent of, “Putting the customer first." “The customer is always right.” “Taking one for the team.” And all those other hackneyed, customer-relationship-building axioms. 

Up to a point.

But his being angry with me, because I didn’t call to tell him to make sure he read his emails, and reply to the GM as requested? Nope. That fell into another category.

Besides, there are only two people who could speak to me in that authoritative manner.  The first is my wife. The second was the guy below. (And, it’s a pretty close call as to who’s more intimidating.)

So, once again, in a calm manner and with as much controlled empathy as I could convey; while keeping my sarcasm somewhat in control, 

I said, 

“Whenever I receive an email, the first thing I do is read it. Then, if I’m asked for input, I provide it when asked for. I thought you would’ve done the same.”

At that point, he slammed the phone down so hard, I’m pretty sure that’s the reason my hearing is diminished in one ear. 

It was a classic example of, “If you don’t want to hear the answer, don’t ask the question.” 

What’s the moral of this story? 

Should I have apologized for not having told him to read his emails? 

Well, sometimes you just have to figure out the best way to put the customer first . . . without putting yourself and your company last.

#businessdevelopment #customerexperience #sales #teamwork