Cancel with Class

Greetings Wow-of-the-Week Family,

As some of you know, there are words I find upsetting (e.g. moist, slacks, limo…) Among them is the word “classy”.

Today’s headline makes an exception for classy’s near neighbor “class” due to the alliterative bounce I get when I use it with “cancel”.

If classy and its close relatives give you the jimjams, too, I recommend moving along briskly to the Oxford dictionary definition of class which is, “showing stylish excellence.”  

Words are fun.

But since today’s Wow is less about class and more about cancelling let’s take our focus there.

Why am I writing about cancelling today?

Because someone cancelled on me earlier this week in such a—well, let’s say “classless”—way that the topic of cancelling has been top-of-mind for me.

What made the experience so yuck? Suffice to say it involved 3rd party messengers and—more than likely—some fibbing.

So how would I ask that you cancel in those moments when cancelling is unavoidable?

First, do it yourself. I know you are busy. Perhaps you even have an assistant because you are so busy. This isn’t a job for your assistant. I’m sure there is something else they can be doing.

Second, pick up the phone. Email will always feel less personal.

Third, tell the truth. Accept the consequences. Some people may be upset. Some people may be offended.  Surprisingly enough some people may be relieved.

Regardless of how they respond, however, you can take comfort in knowing that negative feelings are likely to be ameliorated by the fact that you delivered the news with stylish elegance.

 

For more on the value of telling the truth, take a look at  “When You Water Down Truth, You Water Down Transformation”