Not just pride, but unchecked hostility goeth before the fall.

I’m usually very good with vendors, but yesterday I confess that I lost it.  A serious problem was escalated to a vendor manager and wasn’t noticed because this person was training a new staffer all day Monday.  Along with a poorly placed "fuck" in the conversation, I suggested that perhaps new employee training ought to include teaching new staff how to appropriately be responsive to customer issues in a timely manner.

Of course the single curse undermined my credibility, which is something my business partner Dan has long tried to teach me.  You curse intentionally, and never wantonly.  I picked the wrong person to curse at and apparently made this person cry.  I apologized of course, but my problem is getting handled very attentively. 

Today I caught myself writing a page long e-mail explaining to someone just how close they came to making a grievous error, cc’ed to his managers with a seriously angry tone.  Before I sent it, I carefully re-read his e-mail.  He was just asking a question, not making a dangerous change to our environment.  I shortened it up and asked him to call me.  We had a very easy conversation where I answered his question and we parted happily.

Clearly I’m walking around half-cocked, though I’m not sure why.  I’m going to fling $900 in poker chips around this evening, so I hope I get it out of my system before that ends up sucking my money.

[Update: my hostility was in check, and I neither made nor lost any significant money tonight at the Big Game.]