There are some customers that you just don't want. Your potato person is one of them.
I think one mark of actual intelligence is recognizing what you don't know and openly acknowledging it. I like the connection you made between recognizing what we don't know and how it relates to empathy.
True, from a business perspective and from the perspective of the person in the business, I agree with you.
But from a human and a teacher/learner perspective, how this person acted still hurts when I look at it from a broader lens. I want to believe (even if evidence points to other conclusions) that everyone could learn and every one has the ability to change and make themselves better than they are each day. But that is hard to do when you put yourself in this "potatoes grow on trees" mindset. I hold hope that this person isn't/wasn't always like this and this was just a bad moment. Heck, we all have bad moments and I suspect we've all been pretty dense about some particular thing and still held doggedly to what we thought was true.
Thanks for reading and considering my words and I appreciate you sharing yours here as well!
Excellent! I have found throughout my life that the more I learn, the more I realize that I DON'T know. Learning exposes the edges of knowledge and drives curiosity, then curiosity drives more learning. It is the best cure for willful ignorance that I know (but I could be wrong!). 🤔
I thought it was carrots -- so I learned something. I had remembered your story as "carrots" not "potatoes". See, I admit I stand corrected.
I especially liked your point about modeling for others a way to admit and then inquire, when not knowing something. An added bonus is that your esteem, as seen by other rational people, only gets better in their eyes. Always remember: The guy (invariably) who lets you know that he's the smartest person in the room ... never is.
It is true, I do have carrot stories - but those have more to do with my strong desire to NOT ingest any of them. I'll grow them. I'll harvest and clean them. I'll happily sell/deliver them to those who like them.
Just don't make me eat them.
And as far as esteem is concerned... maybe. I guess I didn't think of that result as I was stewing on this articles topic. Having the esteem of others is certainly nice - especially if they have integrity (as you mention). But, I think I am personally more worried about how my "co-worker" (you know, the guy who always eats my lunch) feels about whether I am acting, thinking and behaving with integrity.
There are some customers that you just don't want. Your potato person is one of them.
I think one mark of actual intelligence is recognizing what you don't know and openly acknowledging it. I like the connection you made between recognizing what we don't know and how it relates to empathy.
True, from a business perspective and from the perspective of the person in the business, I agree with you.
But from a human and a teacher/learner perspective, how this person acted still hurts when I look at it from a broader lens. I want to believe (even if evidence points to other conclusions) that everyone could learn and every one has the ability to change and make themselves better than they are each day. But that is hard to do when you put yourself in this "potatoes grow on trees" mindset. I hold hope that this person isn't/wasn't always like this and this was just a bad moment. Heck, we all have bad moments and I suspect we've all been pretty dense about some particular thing and still held doggedly to what we thought was true.
Thanks for reading and considering my words and I appreciate you sharing yours here as well!
Rob
Excellent! I have found throughout my life that the more I learn, the more I realize that I DON'T know. Learning exposes the edges of knowledge and drives curiosity, then curiosity drives more learning. It is the best cure for willful ignorance that I know (but I could be wrong!). 🤔
Nice!
Never perfect, always working towards better.
Thanks, Rob
I thought it was carrots -- so I learned something. I had remembered your story as "carrots" not "potatoes". See, I admit I stand corrected.
I especially liked your point about modeling for others a way to admit and then inquire, when not knowing something. An added bonus is that your esteem, as seen by other rational people, only gets better in their eyes. Always remember: The guy (invariably) who lets you know that he's the smartest person in the room ... never is.
It is true, I do have carrot stories - but those have more to do with my strong desire to NOT ingest any of them. I'll grow them. I'll harvest and clean them. I'll happily sell/deliver them to those who like them.
Just don't make me eat them.
And as far as esteem is concerned... maybe. I guess I didn't think of that result as I was stewing on this articles topic. Having the esteem of others is certainly nice - especially if they have integrity (as you mention). But, I think I am personally more worried about how my "co-worker" (you know, the guy who always eats my lunch) feels about whether I am acting, thinking and behaving with integrity.
And a follow-up. That co-worker is notoriously hard to please. But I suspect you know that.