Your Angle(s) of Advantage

Recently in a furniture store, I observed a sales-clerk (Let’s call him Harry) and a customer (Lets call her Lisa) entangled in a vicious verbal sparring match over a lamp Lisa had purchased.

“Maybe it didn’t happen in the store” Harry said.

“Of course it did. When I went home I opened the ...Recently in a furniture store, I observed a sales-clerk (Let’s call him Harry) and a customer (Lets call her Lisa) entangled in a vicious verbal sparring match over a lamp Lisa had purchased.

“Maybe it didn’t happen in the store” Harry said.

“Of course it did. When I went home I opened the box. That’s when I discovered the lamp was cracked,” Lisa responded.
“The sign says, ‘all sales final... You must ask an associate to open the box so you may examine the item – before – buying.” Harry snapped back, before adding the final nail, “Did you do that, ma’am?”

“Er, uh, awm”

“Right. My point exactly.” Harry slammed her with.

I won’t even bother telling you what else occurred. I am sure you can figure it out. I’ll say this though. From the looks of things – it wasn’t pretty. Simply put, Harry refused neither to take back the lamp nor to exchange it. It’s safe to say that the other customers observing this scenario, from their various vantage points in the store, also knew Harry had the upper hand.

But this begs several questions, with one being: “Will this store get repeat customers?” The way I saw it, I would say “probably not.” Standing in Harry’s shoes, I could see how Harry believed Lisa was “wrong,” and he was “right;” Lisa didn’t follow store protocol, and as such she was…out of luck. But looking at the same situation from Lisa’s point of view, she, too, was “right” and Harry was “wrong.” (What does one do when they’ve reached a point like this? Hmmm) ‘Why couldn’t he just do the right thing (according to me, that is); appease her so she could turn her into a happy and loyal customer? What’s the big deal?’ I asked myself.

The scenario would’ve gone something like this if I were Harry:

LISA
“When I went home I opened the box. That’s when I discovered the lamp was cracked.”
MErn“Even though we have sign posted, instructing the customers to have an in-store associate open these packages so can inspect it before purchasing, we understand that some people, such as yourself, for whatever reason, might miss the opportunity of the in-store inspection. I am happy to exchange the lamp for you, or I can give you an in-store credit plus a few additional coupons? (Deliberate use of question mark).”

Why would I say something like the above? Most conflicts and potential misunderstandings can be lessened, if not, avoided altogether if we, at appropriate times, use our Perceptual Position powers - to see things from different points of view. We all possess this ability, and most of us do this unconsciously; it’s even in our everyday language, for example:
• See it my way.
• We just don’t see things eye to eye.
• We aren’t speaking the same language.
• Don’t judge a person until you have walked in their shoes.
• Look at it this way.
• Are we on the same page?
• Think how others would experience it.
• If I were so and so…
• What would others think about it
• ETC…The list goes on.

Using your Perceptual Position powers allows you to gather data from multiple points of views in-time, through time and in-between times (of what? You might ask). You will be in a better position, so to speak, to act and to make decisions – happen. There are infinite amounts of Perceptual Positions you can sink into and experience, and its application is limitless; it all depends on your creativity. But, for now, the four most popular are:

• SELF (i.e. Lisa’s perspective)
• OTHER (i.e. Harry’s perspective)
• OBSERVER (i.e. Store patron’s perspective)
• WE (simultaneously seeing – everything, Self, Other, Observer as one event)

Examine where in your social, personal, and/or professional lives you can now begin to use this ability to enhance the quality of your life – or lives.

© Copyright - John G. Johnson 2007 - All rights reserved!