I'm a people person..... If you don't believe me then @#&* off!
By James72
@James72 (26790)
Australia
September 22, 2008 10:43am CST
Do you ever get tired of being Mr or Mrs Congeniality all the time? Don;t you wish that sometimes you could stop all the niceties and let yourself loose just ONCE in a while? Have you ever actually done this and said to yourself - "Damn the consequences I have had enough of this crap!" And just let someone have it? Was it actually a positive release for you and did you feel better for it or did you instantly regret it?
I actually seriously considered setting up a company at one stage thet employed actors. These actors would then go to restaurants as customers or ring up call centres or customer service centres for example and allow the staff to just let them have it! I thought that it may have been a whole new form of corporate therapy that allowed staff to release once in a while. the end result being that they would end up far more relaxed overall because of it. Do you think I would have succeeded with this idea?
7 people like this
9 responses
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
22 Sep 08
Your idea is really creative and if marketed properly would be successful. I would think the problem would come from employees getting confused as to when they were talking to the actor and when were they talking to a real customer. That could be a real OOPS!
Better to just tell complete strangers what you think on myLot.
3 people like this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
22 Sep 08
At least mylot gives me the protective blanket of anonymity I guess! lol. I was looking to offer this service as an out of normal working hours scenario for the very reasons you have given actually. I figured that many companies send staff on team building trips etc outside of standard work times so this was surely workable! The last thing any employer would want though is for their staff to enjoy the experience SO much they decide to incorporate this approach permanently! 
Thanks for responding RYBD. I haven't seen you for a few days actually? Welcome back!
Thanks for responding RYBD. I haven't seen you for a few days actually? Welcome back!
@alokn99 (5717)
• India
23 Sep 08
James,
It's a great idea , but then who gets to take the brunt of the employed actors and their releases ? You ?.
I think the mountain idea would be better.
There have been times in the past that i have felt this way and did unconciously let go or take out the frustration on people who did not deserve it. The momentary feeling was good, but the consequences later only complicated it.
.
I think the mountain idea would be better.
There have been times in the past that i have felt this way and did unconciously let go or take out the frustration on people who did not deserve it. The momentary feeling was good, but the consequences later only complicated it.
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
23 Sep 08
The actors get to fight back with the staff to really maximize the exchange so they get to vent too! Maybe I could hold these exercises on top of a mountain then? Good idea alok! I can relate to your reference to taking out frustrations on people that DON't deserve it; but many people we deal with DO deserve it yet we do nothing. This is what I was hoping to address at the time. Thanks for responding and if I ever do set this up a free invitation is coming your way for sure! You are always such a nice guy alok and I'm SURE there's a tiger in there that would love to bare it's teeth!
I can relate to your reference to taking out frustrations on people that DON't deserve it; but many people we deal with DO deserve it yet we do nothing. This is what I was hoping to address at the time. Thanks for responding and if I ever do set this up a free invitation is coming your way for sure! You are always such a nice guy alok and I'm SURE there's a tiger in there that would love to bare it's teeth! 
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
22 Sep 08
None of that applies to my life at all, I am no Ms Congeniality. I don't know why anyone would want to pay for a service like that though when they could just brave it up and say whatever they wanted to say in their everyday life... god how refreshing that would be!!! To know that someone was talking truthfully to you instead of dishing up some polite bit of phucking crap!
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
22 Sep 08
Oh I was patiently waiting for you on this one zigzagbuddha! What is the line from Field of Dreams again? Ah, that's it..... "If you build it, they will come!". lol. If I ever set up a company with these services expect a very important job offer with a very high salary because you are just the one I would need to both train the actors AND motivate the staff participating to learn to TRULY release! (And yes I KNOW you would tell me where to stick it but what the hey!)
As much as many people would love to be able to brave it up as you put it, the reality is that most people are too damned afraid of the consequences! My goal at the time was to give the average disillusioned "customer facing punching bag" an opportunity to become a mouse that roared for once in their life! I have vented myself on a number of occasions and have even had to leave a job because of it but it was well worth it I can tell you. Refreshing is nowhere near a strong enough word to describe it actually!
As much as many people would love to be able to brave it up as you put it, the reality is that most people are too damned afraid of the consequences! My goal at the time was to give the average disillusioned "customer facing punching bag" an opportunity to become a mouse that roared for once in their life! I have vented myself on a number of occasions and have even had to leave a job because of it but it was well worth it I can tell you. Refreshing is nowhere near a strong enough word to describe it actually!1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
23 Sep 08
I am still trying to work out what the heck those ninja emoticons actually are or mean??? Hey it could have been worse with the Preacher! I think I would have preferred the bad jokes etc to ACTUAL preaching. Having a hammer and nails in my hands while someone tries to convert me is NOT and ideal scenario I can tell you. I agree that we can still express things truthfully to others without always being overly negative or nasty but people STILL tend to assume that it will be taken the wrong way and hold back. Everyone gets way too caught up in political correctness and behaving in fear of causing a commotion that they end up repressing their emotions big time. I AM someone who tends to speak their mind but I do still pick and choose with who and when and under what circumstances. I used to be constantly aware of everyone else to the point of wishing to be everything to everybody always. One day I thought to myself, bugger it, I am just going to be me! As long as I am not rude or offensive then I am going to speak my mind. If they end up hating me for it then who cares? The day I truly acknowledged that I can't make everyone happy all the time was a pretty important one!
1 person likes this
@SaintAnne (5453)
• United States
23 Sep 08
To me, the ninja emoticons signify being stealthy or sneaking around... Hello zigzagbuddha! I was just replying to his question.
2 people like this
@thebohemianheart (8827)
• United States
22 Sep 08
Hmmmm,. I don't know that it would succeed, but, it certainly sounds like a good idea, on the corporate therapy level, anyway. You could convince the bosses that it would benefit their companies because the employees could blow up at your people instead of telling off a difficult client and risk losing them.
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
22 Sep 08
All I know is that I have worked in a number of customer facing industries where I had to deal with what felt like some of the most offensively difficult people on the planet on many occasions! The term the customer is always right is sometimes extremely difficult to honour. I came up with the idea because I felt that I would gain a lot of benefit from it myself and many others I worked with said they would love the chance to let it all out even if it WAS to an actor! lol. It was just a fleeting idea anyways..... Thanks for responding bohemianheart. 
1 person likes this
@thebohemianheart (8827)
• United States
22 Sep 08
It was just a fleeting idea anyways..
Doesn't mean it couldn't happen, right?*S*
and, you can call me Bo, everybody else does.
1 person likes this
@Munchkin547 (2778)
•
24 Sep 08
That sounds like a brilliant idea! i have had some shifts where everyone is just rude, ignorant ungrateful and plain annoying, they seem to go out of their way to make you feel rubbish and ruin your day!! Sometimes i think how good it would be to tell them what i was really thinking when they were saying mean things to me, but it's more than my jobs is worth, and it's also far more difficult for someone to be horrid to you when you are being disgustingly nice to me!! i think maybe we;ll just have to settle for destroying old furniture with my dad instead!! lol xxx
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
25 Sep 08
Ah! I have reached my target market already! Giddy up. I have experienced the same on many occasion Munchkin. As a waiter, as a telemarketer..... All in jobs many, many years ago but oh how I would have loved the chance to open up and blast someone on a regular basis! Yes, the furniture destruction therapy will remain a classic forever I think! Thanks for responding to the discussion.
Thanks for responding to the discussion.1 person likes this
@3cardmonte (5098)
•
23 Sep 08
thats a brilliant idea!!!, where i live i seem to have developed this reputation of being "nice" and i hate it, it is dull and bland. but if people think you are nice and you "wouldnt do that kind of thing" you can get away with much more ;) Its funny though cos i had a rant about this earlier here too! i get so tired of having to plaster a big fake smile on my face!
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
23 Sep 08
Why, thank you 3cardmonte! 
We gotta do what we gotta do right? and sometimes this means dropping the facade and letting it all out in a way we REALLY feel like once in a while! I must have missed your earlier rant but I hope it cleared the cobwebs! lol. I appreciate the response.
We gotta do what we gotta do right? and sometimes this means dropping the facade and letting it all out in a way we REALLY feel like once in a while! I must have missed your earlier rant but I hope it cleared the cobwebs! lol. I appreciate the response.
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
23 Sep 08
I think, that's a good idea! Letting go the volcano actually helps us unwind like anything. In a recent Open House in my 5 yr old niece's school my sister and other parents were told to help the kids let out their rant and anguish and whatever its inside them. This is actually a way to pacify their inner selves. They have even asked to let the kids punch on pillows and tear papers or whatever if they like doing that!
My niece is passive kind and my sister never had this problem with her nor did my mother. I was a very docile, sweet, chubby, adorable...kid (if that has anything to do with this ). But later on, even today, I find myself bit inwardly. I cannot let out or confide in easily. It takes time. But, after a series of most untoward things I have been learning to live my dreams and now i think I am a much better person. No more Miss Congeniality always and little more of Miss Myself. lol...
And you know what, in a series of your discussions (starting from scream at life to Forget money, forget fame...), it has been a pretty much therapeutic journey.
Thanks.
). But later on, even today, I find myself bit inwardly. I cannot let out or confide in easily. It takes time. But, after a series of most untoward things I have been learning to live my dreams and now i think I am a much better person. No more Miss Congeniality always and little more of Miss Myself. lol...
And you know what, in a series of your discussions (starting from scream at life to Forget money, forget fame...), it has been a pretty much therapeutic journey.
Thanks.1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
23 Sep 08
I am glad you think so mimpi! I tjhouight so at the time too but ended up caught up in other things. The example you gave with your niece is very interesting on one level yet also disturbing in a way on another that kids this young have so much pent up stress to release! 
Oh I'm sure you were a DREAM child mimpi! Butter wouldn't melt in your mouth and all that! lol. Thanks for responding and I am happy to hear that some of my discussions may have had even a small influence on you. I can't ask for more than that! Let it ALL out! (I am still expecting to hear about the screaming experiment after your trip too so no excuses!)
Oh I'm sure you were a DREAM child mimpi! Butter wouldn't melt in your mouth and all that! lol. Thanks for responding and I am happy to hear that some of my discussions may have had even a small influence on you. I can't ask for more than that! Let it ALL out! (I am still expecting to hear about the screaming experiment after your trip too so no excuses!)
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
23 Sep 08
Letting out anger and frustration is a positive feeling but sometimes it can be a problem. I used to have a boss who could never stand anyone losing their temper. I lost my temper a few times with colleagues and had to face the session with the boss afterwords. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
The therapy session was a nightmare. I mean one quick tiff and we were fine but being subjected to all this stuff about why you should remain passive and never lose your temper was horrible. We both hated it.
Sometimes I think letting out the anger and frustration is really good for you. It releases all the frustration and once released it is gone.
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
23 Sep 08
I agree that having the chance to let out all our frustrations can be therapeutic. This was my reasnining behind all of this. And the actors would be used instead of doing this as an internal exercise between staff to reduce any flow on effect between staff that have to continue working together. Maybe you would have enver had to face your Boss at all if you had the chance to take part in one of these session? I do think it has merit. Thanks for responding to the discussion sharra.
