their part for not having specified as good a grade as they needed. “The ultimate outcome was that he went through the entire carload again after I left, accepted the whole lot, and we received a check in full. “In that one instance alone, a little tact, and the determination to refrain from telling the other man he was wrong, saved my company a substantial amount of cash, and it would be hard to place a money value on the good will that was saved.” Martin Luther King was asked how, as a pacifist, he could be an admirer of Air Force General Daniel "Chappie” James, then the nation’s highest-ranking black officer. Dr. King replied, "I judge people by their own principles - not by my own.” In a similar way, General Robert E. Lee once spoke to the president of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis, in the most glowing terms about a certain officer under his command. Another officer in attendance was astonished. “General,” he said, " do you not know that the man of whom you speak so highly is one of your bitterest enemies who misses no opportunity to malign you?” "Yes," replied General Lee, “but the president asked my opinion of him; he did not ask for his opinion of me.” By the way, I am not revealing anything new in this chapter. Two thousand years ago, Jesus said: “Agree with thine adversary quickly.” And 2,200 years before Christ was born, King Akhtoi of Egypt gave his son some shrewd advice - advice that is sorely needed today. “Be diplomatic,” counseled the King. “It will help you gain your point.” In other words, don’t argue with your customer or your spouse or your adversary. Don’t tell them they are wrong, don’t get them stirred up. Use a little diplomacy. PRINCIPLE 2 - Show respect for the other person’s opinions. Never say, "You're wrong.”
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