Give credit when credit is due
Unless we eventually move to live in the mountains, chances are, we will come across situations when we need other people’s help. Though it is people’s choice whether or not they want to help us, and when they did, we must always acknowledge their help. Whether their help was actually helpful or not, more so, even when you had paid them for their help.
One time, I missed my credit card payment due date (like, by one day!). Because of that I was slapped with late payment penalty of $80. So I did what I did in the past, called up the bank and asked for waiver. Turns out they would no longer honor the request. The customer service whom I spoke to over the phone told me the policy was implemented for some time already (or maybe I never paid attention to the fine prints). I tried to push her a little, but she didn’t barge.
In the end, I surrendered to the fact that I had to serve the penalty. I wasn’t very happy about it. But when the post-call survey came in, I gave her an E (met Expectation, equivalent to 5 stars). Because why, she did perform her duty well by upholding the bank’s policy. Even when I didn’t get what I wanted.
Could I have given her a “B” (Below expectation)? Yes I could. Would giving her a “B” cancel off my penalty? No. But here’s what would happen: it would have affected her score card, probably her year end bonus and salary increment! Just because I made a mistake, lost $80, I had to rain fire on another person. Do I deserve to be such bad guy? Absolutely not!
So, when you be nice to people, you are not being weak, or naive. You are actually doing yourself a big favor. You collect karma points. You are actually being nice back to yourself. Have you been nice today?
Originally published at https://deanloh.org on April 20, 2017.
