You Are Always Teaching People How You Want to Be Treated

I remember playing baseball growing up and I’d watch my coach yell at some of the guys who reacted best to that type of communication. And then I’d see that same coach come alongside other guys and calmly walk them through the area he saw that they could improve in. How could the same coach treat people so differently? It came down to how he could get people to act and react quickly.

Of course, I’m not saying that yelling at people is the right way to go, but what I am saying is that he understood what made people move in the right direction. And he decided with the limited amount of time that he had with us, that he would communicate in the most effective ways possible.

This story taught me something about communication. Whether you realize it or not, you are always teaching people how you want to be treated. If you don’t act on something until there is negative reinforcement, then you are training others to treat you negatively.

Whether you realize it or not, you are always teaching people how you want to be treated. Share on X

However, if you repeatedly do what needs to be done in a timely manner, and with a smile on your face, then you are showing that you don’t need negative reinforcement to do a good job.

Also, if you are following the golden rule, and you are treating others with respect, then you are showing that you want to be treated with respect. But, if you are treating people negatively, then you are showing them that you want to be treated in a negative manner.

Now, I’m not saying that it’s okay to treat people negatively. In fact, I stand for quite the opposite. But, it’s amazing how many people forget this valuable principle that they were taught as a kid, and it’s just as true now as it was back then.