There Are NO "Little People"
My girlfriend's mom has a trick she uses when sizing up candidates when they come into the office for job interviews: after they leave, ask the receptionist for their thoughts. How did they treat them when they came in? How did they act? Were they polite?
Everyone's nice to the hiring manager or the head of the department in an interview, but it's revealing to see how they treat a "little person" who doesn't hold any sway over whether or not you'll get hired.
If I were hiring someone, I understand the advice, and I use it in other situations when I need to get a sense of a person's character or integrity. But as a human being, I hate it. It's still good advice, but it acknowledges and reinforces in our minds that there is a hierarchy amongst the people around us. Receptionists are down below, and the people who sign the checks are up above.
A hierarchy works in an organization. It might even be necessary. But when it comes to common human decency, there IS not hierarchy. There are no "little people".. Period.
You're polite to the receptionist because he's a human being, not because there's a chance she'll further your career.
You respond politely to the customer that is clearly poor and doesn't have a lot of money because he's human, not because they might have rich friends or a diverse social network.
Everyone deserves your respect, unless they happen to clearly demonstrate to you that they don't deserve it. And even if they do, you still treat them with respect, but kindly part ways.
Be kind. And do it sincerely.
Everyone's nice to the hiring manager or the head of the department in an interview, but it's revealing to see how they treat a "little person" who doesn't hold any sway over whether or not you'll get hired.
If I were hiring someone, I understand the advice, and I use it in other situations when I need to get a sense of a person's character or integrity. But as a human being, I hate it. It's still good advice, but it acknowledges and reinforces in our minds that there is a hierarchy amongst the people around us. Receptionists are down below, and the people who sign the checks are up above.
A hierarchy works in an organization. It might even be necessary. But when it comes to common human decency, there IS not hierarchy. There are no "little people".. Period.
You're polite to the receptionist because he's a human being, not because there's a chance she'll further your career.
You respond politely to the customer that is clearly poor and doesn't have a lot of money because he's human, not because they might have rich friends or a diverse social network.
Everyone deserves your respect, unless they happen to clearly demonstrate to you that they don't deserve it. And even if they do, you still treat them with respect, but kindly part ways.
Be kind. And do it sincerely.