First, the numbers: It’s about 11 pm, the temperature here is about 54 degrees, low tide was just a few minutes ago, and the next high will be at 3:47 am. Regular gas is about 1.87 a gallon. Weatherunderground.com says it will get down to about 38 degrees tonight, which is COLD for here! Number of days since I was last out on the boat: 4.
My wife Cynthia were talking a few minutes ago about how to talk to people when you feel intimidated by their wealth, their social standing, etc — especially when there is a lot on the line (the potential for a large real estate transaction, say).
The caveat to talk to them like you would talk to anyone else — straight up — came out first, along with the worrisome thought that that could be risky!
Further conversation brought me to the conclusion that nothing could be farther from the truth. Telling it straight, like they were anyone else (they are, of course) will do two things: It will fortify relationships with the kind of people you want to do business with, for whom honesty resonates and is a rare, valued commodity. It may drive some people away, but those are probably people you’d be happier not doing business with.
Adopt some phony persona, on the other hand, and the opposite is likely to occur: the honest folk are driven away, and the phonies remain. Just the opposite of what we would like to see happen.
And with that, we’ll go forth and tell it straight without the concern that it might carry a high price tag. It’s being any other way that carries the higher risk.
And tomorrow’s another day!
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