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The Final Question on the Exam Is a Ladle-dropper!

The book starts with a story of a college exam for which students had more-than-adequate time to prepare. Nonetheless, there was moaning of the highest (lowest?) order as students got to the last question. Which was ...

"What is the first name of the man who cleans our school?" Damn few, or fewer than few, aced that one. The prof explained, "As you go forward in life, you will meet many people. All of them are important. No matter what their position, everyone you cross paths with deserves your attention and respect, even if all you do is just smile and say hello." (Reminds me of a brief exchange I had with a flight attendant once. I asked her how many people said "Thank you" as they get off the plane. Damn few, though she said it didn't matter: "They don't have to say anything—just a smile will do fine.")

Frankly, never thought I'd be touting a book by a "TV personality." But this is the exception. It's titled The Power of Respect: Benefit from the Most Forgotten Element of Success. The author is Deborah Norville. My new book, which I really don't mean to plug (truly!), is called The Little BIG Things—and this from Ms. Norville is the mother of all little big things.

It's chock-a-block with stories like the one above—and the over-riding point is literally matchless.

Indeed:

Respect!
"Power tool" #1!
Period!

(Reminds me of another favorite, Respect, by Harvard professor Sara Lightfoot-Lawrence, mentioned before at tompeters.com.)

(NB: Is that opening story apocryphal? Don't know, don't care.)

Tom Peters posted this on 10/15/09.

Comments

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Posted by David Porter at October 15, 2009 12:31 PM

Questions at the end of the exam that makes a curious..

Posted by Michael douglas at October 16, 2009 4:14 AM

Thing that gets me about this approach is that even if you were the most self centered, me first, obnoxious, selfish tyrant it still makes sense to try to behave like this - it's a benefit to you if nothing else that people respond by helping you!

When I worked in consultancy management the one tip I gave consultants was be nice to EVERYONE at the client company - pays off when you turn up at reception having forgotton your pass and you need to get in the building quickly for that meeting.....

Posted by PaulH at October 16, 2009 9:58 AM

"No matter what their position, everyone you cross paths with deserves your attention and respect, even if all you do is just smile and say hello."

This is a great reminder. Thank you for that.

Posted by Judith Ellis at October 16, 2009 10:46 AM

I can't wait to read the book. To me the "little things" set apart the average from the professional, the mediocre from the exceptional.

Thanks for posting,

Matthew Trogdon
Director of Business Development
OnMessage Inc.
www.itsonmessage.com

Posted by Matthew Trogdon at October 16, 2009 5:27 PM

If that doesn't sound a whole lot like one of the little stories found in a 1950's issue of Reader's Digest nothing does.

Posted by zorro at October 17, 2009 5:34 PM

Zorro - Do you think that's a good or bad thing?

Posted by Judith Ellis at October 18, 2009 12:42 PM