People Scheduling Meetings When They Know you are Busy

Ok,

So at work we use Microsoft Outlook as the email source. This program allows you to have a calendar to schedule meetings and various appointments. It also lets others in the company know if you are going to be free at a particular time, so that they can include you in a meeting if it pertains to your job. Well I use my calendar! I am currently going to school plus working my full time job. My class happens right smack in the middle of the day, so I have to leave work, go to class, then come back. It makes for a really long day. But it is on my calendar so there is no confusion. Well the wonderful powers that be scheduled an interview during my "busy" time.

I even went as far as to reject the request. I know the person who scheduled the meeting got an error message when trying to schedule. I just know that this is going to be a problem, and the powers that be are going to wonder why I am not interviewing this person. But come on, how observant do you have to be to read some one's calendar so these little annoyances don't happen.

I wouldn't be so upset, but this is the kind of stuff that happens all the time. No one thinks about the other person anymore. Especially at my work, it is always I need this right now, I am the most important, drop whatever you are doing to help me attitude. They get mad when you can't do something, like it is your fault that your have planned something already. Again I ask, were is the consideration of other people? I think one of the car insurance companies put it best, why don't we start treating people like they are in your home not in your way!

What happened to being polite?

I was discussing this with some friends today. When did it become the norm to be extremely rude to people who work in service? I have been witness to and sad to say have friends who do this...talk to wait staff or those in positions of customer service as if they are second class citizens. I do not care who you are, but those people you yell at because they weren't as snappy or perky enough, who take your order, and wait on you while you are out, are not slaves, they are people and deserve you consideration. I do not understand why people look down upon and feel they have the right to talk to people who choose that line of work like they are dirt.

I understand being annoyed at telemarketers who push and push trying to peddle their product but to be rude to someone who is filling your drink order is just plain mean. I have been out to dinner with some friends who do not want to leave a tip because they thought the waiter or waitress was too slow in bringing this thing or that thing, or that person wasn't friendly enough. You know everyone has a bad day, try looking at a situation in another persons shoes before you judge.

I know when in the service industry or any profession really, you should leave your personal life at home, but in practice this is difficult. I have bad days and have tragedies that occur in my personal life that spill over into my professional life. I have even been confronted by my supervisor about being "grumpy" and I am work in a lab with few others. This helps me to keep in prospective when someone is less than polite when serving me.

I however understand when service people treat you like crap because of age, race, and/or any other discriminating factor. I am relatively young, but a big tipper. However, when I am out with my friends some wait staff don't necessarily treat me and my peers with the same respect as other people. I usually don't get seated right away and sometimes get over looked on drink refills and desert menus because I look like I am going to order the cheapest thing on the menu. Again I ask....when did we stop being polite? If I wanted just water and house salad, I should be treated the same as the executive trying to impress a client with the lobster dinner. My money spends just like his does.

I guess my point is everyone just needs to stop and think about what the other person may be going through before they judge and act snotty. I know if I applied this advise more or sooner in my life, I could have saved myself a lot of foot in mouth situations.