Two Special People To Learn From

I've been really fortunate to know people who have shown the kind of qualities and behaviors that have such a positive effect on so many. Here are stories of two such people whose behaviors and attitudes - in the last week – have had a positive effect on me.

Catherine M sent me an E Mail about a week ago. I didn't know her, and she knew me only from an article on respect that I had written. She was looking for help. She had had a very upsetting incident that an administrator at the school where she volunteers, and where her daughter is a student, had started. Catherine was very upset – she had been criticized in front of students and others – and when she called the administrator to talk about the event and the way it had been handled, the administrator laughed at her and treated her with disrespect. She was asking me for advice. I wasn't able to access her E mail for two days, but I sent her a response as soon as I could and promised to follow up with a further response the following day. Before I could do that, Catherine sent an E mail thanking me for my comments, and telling me that she had spent the weekend volunteering at a Pediatric ward in a hospital – helping young patients. She told me that had helped her clear her head and put what had happened in perspective. Rather than let the disrespectful actions of another pull her down, she took action and reached out and helped others. And in taking action she recovered from the hurt and embarrassment she had suffered from the administrator. As she said, she wasn't going to let someone else's actions control her emotions.

Terrific – taking action and reaching out to help others – a prescription for overcoming so much of what ails people. Congratulations, Catherine, for your maturity, honesty and respect for others.

Pat S called me the other day. He is the paper delivery person who gets our papers at our front door before 5 AM every morning. We had not received a paper one morning, and I had called to report the paper as not delivered. That was the reason for Pat's call. He was very concerned about our service. He told me he makes sure he puts the papers as close to the front door as possible – and I agreed that he does that. He was sure he delivered a paper that morning. We came to the conclusion that someone had taken the paper sometime between 4:45 AM, when he delivered, it, and 6 AM – when I went out to get it. He asked what I thought he could do to see that that didn't happen in the future. I assured him he was very diligent in delivering the paper and there seemed no action other than for me to get up earlier and retrieve the paper.

He then asked me if I shopped at a grocery store near our house. I told him I did. He told me he is the meat cutter there and works full time from noon until 8:30 PM. He asked me to stop in and say Hi, and he would be happy to help me with my shopping requirements.

Pat S works a full time job and has a paper route seven days a week. And his reason for calling was to make sure I was satisfied with his service. Our entire conversation was positive and focused on service. Terrific guy – terrific attitude. He starts his paper run at 3 AM, follows that with a full time job, and finds the time to follow up with his customers.

As long as we have people like Catherine M and Pat S we're in good shape.

Taking action, reaching out, helping others, providing excellent service, being positive. Those attitudes and behaviors are all around us. I feel fortunate for that. And I thank these two very special people for the real world examples they set for me and so many others.

Written by Andy Cox, President

Cox Consulting Group, 4049 E Vista Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85032 Ph: 602-795-4100; Fax: 602-795-4800; E Mail: acox@coxconsultgroup.com;Website:www.coxconsultgroup.com; Blog: http://multiplysuccess.blogspot.com

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