Most of us are educated to pay more attention to defects —our own and others— than to virtues. We go through life judging people or telling them where they could improve, but we rarely recognize the good things they do. As long as we don’t have something to complain about, hundreds of jobs are invisible to us; We only remember that there is a sweeper on the day the sidewalk is badly swept, right?
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This negative attitude is not only harmful to others but also to ourselves. If we are only capable of finding defects, we will end up believing that we live in a much more hostile world and that will only lead to isolation and arrogance.
Learning to value the work of the people around us is a way to create and strengthen the bonds of our community and an exercise in humility that we should all practice. Get started with these simple steps.
- Be aware that there is a huge chain of people involved in even the smallest service you receive.
- Think that, in the same way, for a product to reach your hands, the work of hundreds of people is necessary.
- Learn the names of the cleaning staff in your office or work area and always greet them.
- Before getting angry about what you consider «bad service» put yourself in that person’s shoes.
- Do the exercise of finding at least five positive characteristics in each of your co-workers.
- Don’t let prejudice get in the way; the quality of a person and their work is not determined by their origin or appearance.
- If you have employees or subordinates at work, always treat them with respect, empathy and dignity.
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