“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou
On a recent day, I had a routine phone call with an aide in another elected official’s office. While our respective offices have different priorities and partisan backgrounds, I have always interacted well with this person. We both sighed and made a joke about our hectic jobs, and then she did something surprising: she thanked me. For always being friendly and easy to work with. I was taken aback. Because isn’t everyone like that? Isn’t that part of being a professional? In short, the answer is no: courtesy and respect aren’t all that common on a harried work day.
People remember the way you treat them. If you are positive and patient, they will appreciate it, particularly if it is after they make a mistake or pass along a difficult message. If you are rude or condescending, they will remember that too.
Since that conversation, I’m reminded of just how meaningful (and easy!) it is to be considerate toward others, and not just in the office. Before you take your next bad day out on an innocent victim, pause and think: what if I made that person’s day better instead? You might be amazed at how it lifts your own state of mind.
Elizabeth Roach believes in balancing a sense of possibility with the art of savoir-faire, and is not above diving into a slice of cake while on a conference call. A graduate of Furman University and the Columbia University Publishing Program, she has worked in Kentucky government and politics for more than seven years. She is currently Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear’s scheduling director, and has previously served as his assistant speechwriter and as First Lady Jane Beshear’s press secretary. Based in Lexington, Kentucky, Elizabeth is a frequent traveler who writes freelance articles about bourbon, baking, and culinary adventures. She has contributed to The Bourbon Review, The Local Palate, and TheRecoveringPolitician.com, for which she pens a food column (http://therecoveringpolitician.com/category/friends/lizr). Check out her website at elizabethroachwriter.com, and follow her on Instagram @LizRoach7 and Twitter @LizRoach.