We've all been guilty of it:

"One-two-three-not-it!" the office team groupthinks as THAT resident comes in for the 5th time this week. Who will be the poor sucker who gets stuck this time?

I'm not going to pretend that we're gonna absolutely love every person who moves into our community, but we've got to remember that each person is a customer, which makes them a VIP. And we need to treat them as such.

Reality Check: Now more than ever residents are looking for a "sense of community." But according to our most recent study conducted with Ball State university this summer, "sense of community" begins with the resident's connection with the community staff, not with the other residents!

So, with that reality in mind and with Thanksgiving in sight, it is entirely appropriate to discuss how to deal with those Turkeys (the people, not the birds).

1. Give a warm welcome and a fond farewell.

This come straight out of the Ritz-Carlton handbook, folks. Think about when you arrive at a friend's house for dinner and how good it makes you feel when you walk in the door and your host/hostess lights up and seems thrilled to see you. While we don't need to greet each resident with a hug, we can make them feel important by being happy to see them. Often times, this one action (showing genuine warmth) can take the wind out of a complainer's sails. They may be more reluctant to demand attention on their problems when they are already receiving positive attention just for their presence.

2. Be their Go-To person

Part of feeling like a VIP is having an Insider working for you within the organization. Be that Insider! Make sure your residents know your name with subtle reminders such as, "You just call the office and ask for Jen! You know I'll take care of you!" Having a go-to person also means that you don't have to re-explain the situation again and again. They already know the history of whatever the situation is. They already know what's been done. That means a lot to a resident, who will just get more frustrated if they have to explain the crazy cat lady situation to One More Person.

3. Bring them into the Inner Circle

People like to feel needed, and sometimes those turkeys are just in need of a little more recognition. Ask for their opinion on what they'd like to see as a priority in the community. Ask them if they would be willing to be your eyes and ears on the pool area at night, since they live right next to it. The subject doesn't have to a critical decision, but just being asked could mean a lot to them and may even cool their jets a bit.

4. Find One Thing to like

There will be those turkeys who we will never be able to make happy no matter what we do or don't do. That's life. However, sometimes one of the best coping mechanisms is to find just one thing we like about THAT turkey who annoys us the most. It may be that we like their taste in shoes or coats. Maybe there is that one necklace they wear that we love. Maybe they have a dry sense of humor that we enjoy sometimes despite our annoyance with them. Maybe we learned one new thing from them that has been really helpful or useful. Whatever it is, identify it and remember it during your encounters. Sometimes holding on to that one scrap of admiration or gratitude will help keep our patience and professionalism in tact just a few minutes longer. 

I'm grateful to be in an industry where people take care of people. And despite the challenges that can arise when we're dealing with all kinds of people, just remember that even at Thanksgiving, there will always be a turkey!

Gobble gobble!