365 Days of Living the Dale Carnegie Principles
Day 66 Monday, May 30, 2011
My associate and I had to work on Memorial Day. It’s not something either one of us wanted to do but it was necessary.
When I arrived at the office I greeted my associate. He explained that he has been working the entire weekend—getting up at 6 am and working all day. He said he wasn’t complaining but he just wasn’t happy.
I responded by telling him that it shows he worked all weekend. I told him, “Look at all the progress you made. As a result of your effort we will be ready for our big presentation on Tuesday. We are more prepared than we have been in the past for other presentations.”
Showing appreciation adds flavor
I admired the work he did, asked questions and showed interest.
Once I did this—his demeanor changed. He seemed to feel more at ease, less stressed.
The Dale Carnegie principle I used is from How to Win Friends and Influence People:
Principle 2. Give honest, sincere appreciation.
Principle 7. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
Sometimes all a disgruntled, frustrated person needs is some appreciation for his/her efforts. Everyone needs to be shown appreciation—and it must be sincere. Flattery does not work—it’s empty, meaningless and most people recognize it. (And if you’re like me—you resent it.)
Sincere appreciation requires empathy, thought and care. When you show appreciation you’ll discover you have the power to affect a person’s behavior in a positive way. This transformation benefits you by making you more aware that your actions towards other people really do matter. You’ll start looking for more occasions to appreciate others.
Housekeeping / Notes:
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