A Thin Line
Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy.
The Difficulty of Being Right
A passenger on a dining car looked over the luncheon menu. The list included both a chicken salad sandwich and a chicken sandwich. He decided on the chicken salad sandwich, but absentmindedly wrote chicken sandwich on the order slip. When the waiter brought the chicken sandwich, the customer angrily protested. Most waiters would have immediately picked up the order slip and shown the customer that the mistake was his. This waiter didn’t. Instead, expressing regret at the error, he picked up the chicken sandwich, returned to the kitchen, and a moment later placed the chicken salad sandwich in front of the customer. While eating his sandwich, the customer picked up the order slip and saw that the mistake was his. When it came time to pay the check, the man apologized to the waiter and offered to pay for both sandwiches. The waiter’s response was, “No, sir. That’s perfectly all right. I’m just happy you’ve forgiven me for being right.”
The Art of Apologizing
It takes real talent to be able to apologize in a manner that makes the offended person feel guilty.
Saying It Nicely
Firing an employee is one of the toughest jobs a supervisor ever faces. An insurance sales manager was known for his tact and diplomacy. One of his young salesmen was performing so poorly that he had to be terminated. The manager called him in and said, “Son, I don’t know how we’re ever going to get along without you, but starting Monday we’re going to try.”
Diplomacy from the Ground Up
A young man was applying for a job as clerk in a shoe store. The store owner asked him, “Suppose that a lady customer asked you, ‘Don’t you think one of my feet is bigger than the other?’ What would you say?” The young man responded promptly, “I’d say, ‘Oh, no, ma’am! If anything, one is a little smaller than the other.’”