1 min readDon’t Look Like A Black Hole
by Guy Gage | February 14, 2021 | Business, Client Experience, Personal Management
Black Holes Are Real
Earlier this week, I came across an interesting article about black holes. They are a fascinating evidence of what we don’t know about our universe. All we know is that matter is drawn in and never comes out. I’m sure it’s more complicated than that, but it’s way beyond my ability to understand or anyone’s ability to know. We can only theorize and conjecture.
Human Black Holes
What I do understand is how the black hole phenomenon can appear in human behavior. For instance, I remember hearing a manager referring to one of her staff as being a black hole. Her explanation was that no matter what was given to him, she was never sure if it would ever come back. He accepted assignments, agreed to tasks, and took on responsibilities but hardly ever delivered, at least without prodding. Hence, his reputation for being a black hole.
Think about it—there are numerous situations that you face that can lead others to question if you are a black hole. These situations are potential set ups if you aren’t careful. Not that you are, but that, by your behavior, you make others wonder.
Black Hole Traps
For instance, a client calls while you are unavailable and leaves a voicemail requesting some information. It will take you a couple of days to get a report together. If you wait to respond only when you have the report completed, you look like a black hole. Instead, acknowledge as immediately as possible that you received their request and what to expect.
Or you promise to call your client by the end of the day with some information they requested. Unfortunately, you were unable to get the information in time. If you wait until the next day to contact them with the information, you look like a black hole. Instead, call them at the end of the day as promised, then explain the situation.
As I write this, I am keenly aware that there are a couple of emails I received a day or two ago that I haven’t acknowledged, so now I look like a black hole. Drat and double drat!! So easy to do; so difficult to avoid. Be on the alert for the situations that are potential setups and take action so you don’t look like a black hole.
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