book 7 lesson 23

TEXT 23: GETTING ALONG WITH PEOPLE

Live and let live seems like good advice for getting along with people, but getting along with family, friends, and coworkers is not always that simple.

One important aspect of getting along with people is learning to tolerate differences in personality, life style, and individual tastes.

Especially in a work environment, we are bound to come in contact with people, who look, speak, and think differently than we do. It is important that we not let such differences interfere with our relationship on the job. Success in professional life defends on getting along well with all types of people.

Learning to tolerate differences of opinion is also essential to getting along with others. Our co-workers may sometimes have different ideas than we do about how things should be done.

Even if we disagree with their plans or proposals, we must try to remember that, most of the time, they are just as interested in solving problems as we are. Getting angry at someone we disagree with will not solve anything. Also, never forget that we may be wrong and they may be right!

Getting along with people requires tact as well as tolerance. Tact is the art of communicating with people in a way that will not needlessly offend them. If we have to tell someone something that we know is not going to please them, we can’t at least try to do it in a way that does not provoke anger and resentment.

Finally, having a positive attitude is a big help in getting along with everyone everywhere.

People who smile, encourage others, and look on the bright side of life, generally get along with others much better than those who don’t. Don’t forget, however, that these things are no substitute for sincerity and hard work, especially on the job.

The superior performance of experts is often very specific.

The superior qualities for experts’ mental representations allow them to adapt to and anticipate future events in advance. It is essential that experts be able to monitor their own performance, so that they can continuously improve it by training more and assimilating new knowledge.