We’ve all heard the adage attributed to Maya Angelou that paraphrased is “It’s not what people say or do, it’s how they make you feel”.
That’s very true and I can relate a story that I’m reminded of each time I hear that quote.
I was a young courier and had a package for a prominent Memphian, who I won’t name, but you would know him.
The package was a document that he needed to read, sign and return. He asked me if wouldn’t mind waiting, which I didn’t, and proceeded to open the envelope and read the document.
As a courier we we not invisible but certainly not offered much in the way of pleasantries. But this interaction was different. This gentleman asked my name, if I was a long time Memphian, etc.
He couldn’t have been nicer to someone who could do nothing for him, and had no “status “.
This took place almost 30 years ago and today I had the pleasure of relating this story to him as we met at a breakfast meeting. As I would have expected, he was humble and quite taken aback that I had remembered the interaction.
Moral and truth of the story: the way you treat people goes a long way. I hope that I remember this in my day to day.