;'/9$<'0$.&*"80$!'/7'$!+;$"070/.02$&($<'0$+$&.0$ 2+<0-$0>>&"<$$0$8+20$0/<'0"$<&$=0<$<'0$<""7,$'0"0$ 0+"*/0"$&"$<&$20*/.0"$";$9+"<$&>$<'0$>"0/='<$2""/(=$<'0$ 8&"(/(=#$ $ 5'0$+2.+(<+=0$<'+<$!&"*2$+77""0$<&$:&"$"(20"$ ;"7'$+($+""+(=080(<$!&"*2$$0$<'+<$&>$8&"0$ 0B902/</&";$2/;7'+"=0$&>$:&""$<""7,;$+(2$<'0$ +;;""+(70$<'+<$:&""$$";/(0;;$!&"*2$=&$>&"!+"2$&($ <'0$2+<0$&>$/<;$"070/9<#$ $
80":$<""*:$:&"";-$ %66666$)$66666$."9<#
After reading this letter, Mr. Vermylen, sales manager for A. Zerega’s Sons, Inc., sent it to me with the following comment: This letter had the reverse effect from that which was intended. The letter begins by describing the Terminal’s difficulties, in which we are not interested, generally speaking. Our cooperation is then requested without any thought as to whether it would inconvenience us, and then, finally, in the last paragraph, the fact is mentioned that if we do cooperate it will mean more expeditious discharge of our trucks with the assurance that our freight will go forward on the date of its receipt. In other words, that in which we are most interested is mentioned last and the whole effect is one of raising a spirit of antagonism rather than of cooperation. Let’s see if we can’t rewrite and improve this letter. Let’s not waste any time talking about our problems. As Henry Ford admonishes, let’s “get the other person’s point of view and see things from his or her angle, as well as from our own.” Here is one way of revising the letter. It may not be the best way, but isn’t it an improvement?
!"#$12!+"2$80"8:*0($ &#$;0"0=+%;$.&(;-$1(7#$ <=$:"&(<$.<#$
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