Blog

Dear Readers:

One thing I can say with certainty is that I absolutely love this industry. It is so fast paced and filled with so many amazing people and personalities. As of late, I’ve taken the time to analyze my own psyche and personality, and have honed in a few things that I truly believe have made an impact on the person that I am today. This exercise has worked for me in a variety of ways, one of them being that it has heightened my awareness of how I interact with those around me, as well as noticing how other  folks in the industry conduct themselves in public and interact with one another. There are certain things in life that you cannot learn through a course, workshop, mentor, or an industry conference. Some things are simply taught only through experience and allowing history, personal mistakes and awkward moments (as either an audience member or participant). Here are a few lessons I have learned.

Take In The View From All Angles

We work in an industry full of human beings. It is for this reason that it is important that we approach situations with a curiosity-if  not a full understanding–of how our statements, flippant remark,s or looks might impact others, our own feelings, our reputation, and our own self-confidence (not to be confused with ego).

Manage Your Success

Many times, those we deem as “successful people” don’t even know that they are successful. Part of that is because we all define success differently and our goals are ever-evolving. However, I find that the one thing that really matters when you have been blessed with success is to share it. If you know something, teach it. Don’t make it about you. Always give more than what you feel like giving. Again, we are human and our natural instinct is to protect ourselves or what we have from others. I am a firm believer that your success will never decrease if it’s shared. You’ll quickly find that those who are greedy and paranoid often find themselves alone.

Diffuse Rumors

Knowing how to diffuse a rumor in this industry is an important and essential tool. My #1 rule is to never provide negative feedback when talking or sharing experiences with other industry folks. I know it’s difficult not to give your two cents– especially if your experience is not a positive one–but trust me, it will always come back to haunt you in the end. No matter how infuriated you are,  don’t let your experience mold someone else’s or have them walking away thinking you’re bitter or vindictive.

Be You

In your personal life as well as in your career, always choose authenticity. Don’t settle for anything less than happiness and do your best to bring a bit of it everywhere you go. Finally, I’ll leave you with a favorite quote, “Never let success get to your head. Never let failure get to your heart.”  -Unknown

Question: What do you do when you feel the urge to gossip?  How do you handle others who want to stir up trouble?

With a Happy Heart,

Kathy Romero is the Director of Event Planning for Preston Bailey Designs. She shares her thoughts and advice on Preston’s Blog every Thursday.

(Photo Courtesy of Emily Gilbert)