thanks to a 2-day training and a feedback “roundtable”, i’ve been thinking a lot about the nature of my current job, and in vocations where you deal with people in general. i think i narrowed it down to 2 basic principles. these have been adapted from youth ministry, believe it or not, but i have yet to find a service position where they’re not true.

1. repeat yourself at least 3 times if you want them to think you mean it.

2. they have to know you care.

i’m trying to decide if there’s really anything else out there that could make you more successful, but i haven’t come up with anything. seriously. give clear communication and a lot of it, and help people realize that you do it because you care: this has greater impact than checking a box off a to-do list.

i sat through 16 hours of training (albeit helpful) but those hours could be narrowed down to the 2 rules.

did i miss anything?