CONTEMPT IS CONTAGIOUS
The only emotion that spreads more reliably is panic.
Contempt is caused by fear and by shame and it looks like disgust. It’s very hard to recover once you receive contempt from someone else, and often, our response is to dump it on someone else.
If you want to be respected by your customers/peers/partners/competitors/constituents, the best way is to begin by respecting them and the opportunity they are giving you.
And the best way to avoid contempt is to look for your fear.
Seth Godin
This is from Seth Godin’s blog and the title resonated…deep. Contempt is contagious.
Have you ever had someone look at you this way? I have; although at the time I wasn’t altogether sure, so I mistook the first few times as indigestion or constipation. Eventually it became clear. Yep—it was contempt alright.
You know why? They could smell my fear with its side of shame.
Fear. Shame. Contempt= The Shitstorm Trifecta.
If you’re in it, you know it—you can smell it.
Right now! Quick! Are you the dumper?—Or the dumpee?
I’ve been both and I can guarantee you—either way, it sucks.
Looking for the fix? What’s the alternative?
Expose your fear; shine a light on the shame; brush yourself off; gather your wits; show some SELF RESPECT FIRST and keep moving forward.
It’ll be all right. You can take it from me, a “Silkwood Shower” and some Visine works wonders to wash away contempt.
I’d love to hear YOUR thoughts.
Carry on,
xox
