TOMI Magazine November 2012

Let the tears flow It’s not uncommon, when people release an- ger from their bodies this way, for people to feel the urge to cry. If you feel like crying, al- low the tears to flow. According to Minnesota research scientist William Frey, crying can help to wash chemicals that trigger the stress hor- mone cortisol out of your body—one of the reasons we feel so much better after a good cry. Purge the rest of your anger at home When you get home, pound a mattress with your fists, hit a tree with a rolled up newspa- per, scream into a pillow, growl, or hit old tel- ephone books with a flexible hose. After all this physical activity, your face will be relaxed and you’ll sleep very soundly. Watch how good you feel the next day when it’s time for work. Reprogram your thought patterns A side effect of workplace anger is blame, on the one hand, and feeling victimized on the other. Interrupt destructive thinking about how people and things “should” be and accept what is. You can change your thought patterns the same way you memorized times tables as a kid-through repetition. Repeat out loud: “ People and things are the way they are, not the way I want them to be.” Say it and think it hundreds of times, until it’s absolutely auto- matic. It’s a powerful phase to use before work, throughout the day in your high- pressure job, or just general. The results? Expressing the emotional energy and focusing on acceptance dissipates anger and restores balance. You’ll feel more centered and loving. Your thinking will be clearer. And you’ll be able to calmly accept what is, or be able to say or do what you need to in order to resolve the situation. – Jude Bijou Jude Bijou, MA, MFT, is a respected psycho- therapist, professional educator, and workshop leader. Her theory of Attitude Reconstruction © evolved over the course of more than 30 years working with clients as a licensed marriage and family therapist, and is the subject of her award-winning book, Attitude Reconstruc- tion: A Blueprint for Building a Better Life. Learn more at http://www.attitudereconstruction.com/

WWW.UNITEDCALLCENTER.COM

Learning how to be an effective communicator when answering the phone is all a part of cus- tomer service 101. Here are a few tips from UnitedCallCenter.com: Communication - When people call in for support or information, they want customer service agents who speak well and know their stuff. Domestic Employees - Businesses are far better off when they work with domestic call centers that pay extra for qualified, American customer service agents, who won’t alienate callers by confusing them with unfamiliar dia- lects and poor language skills. On-site employees - Remote agents who answer calls at their homes offers no way to protect the security of clients and their cus- tomers. Good security - Businesses should only work with centers that have strict policies of con- duct that prevent employees from having per- sonal belongings and pens at their desks, since these might allow them to photograph or wrist down credit card information. Modern equipment - Will make the client’s company information and that of the caller available the moment it is needed. Affordability - Companies should look for one that offers customizable plans that will fit most any budget. Versatility - Invariably, businesses get better customer support when they work with a cen- ter that has a wide range of experience. We have experience providing customer service for just about every type of company. MANAGEMENT HANDLE YOUR HANDLE R ELIABLE COMMUNICATION TIPS

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