Arrogance and Change

Arrogance stems from many factors. One of the things that people dislike and are turned off by is a person’s look that appears to be arrogant. I suppose I can’t explain it when I say that there really are some people who have the airs of an arrogant person, even though they feel they aren’t. It’s written on their face, the way they look at others and the way they communicate.

Now, I know some people who would say “why should I give a hoot what other people think?” Trust me, I know it’s unfair that you have to blend in with the people around you. It’s a pain sometimes to have to be what you are not, to rise to the occasion, to be put to the test. However, many times, you can miss the forest for the trees – just because you think don’t need people now doesn’t mean you won’t need them later. And honestly, you may not see certain things that you are weak in and therefore need a third party to assess it in a new light for you. If you’ve burnt your bridges too early, then there will no longer be any opportunity for you if things go awry.

Let’s take the case of this parent I know. He has three children and is happily married. However, over time, while he became a successful businessman, he also was turning into a kind of tyrant at home. His children and wife who once respected him, now no longer did. They found him just bareable. He would spend nights in the office without telling his family where he was and forget important dates surrounding his family. About six years ago, his wife filed for a divorce because she felt he wasn’t paying attention to the family and playing his part as a father. It came as a shock. His children all chose to leave him as well. You would have thought this was as bad as it could get? Nope – his attitude carried across in the workplace. See, with his approach to people, he basically said “I don’t need you”. Now, when all things ended up the way they did, he had really no one to turn to. As a result, he had to change the entire approach to his communication and the way he dealt with people.

And if you think this fate won’t befall you, think again. Anything is possible – all it takes is the attitude of not really giving a damn.

Success is founded on your interaction with people. It’s not what you have. It’s who you are. It’s not you who determines if you are successful. It’s other people and the way they think of you as a person that determines if you are successful.

So, I’d like to emphasize this anonymous quote: “Be careful how you treat people on your way up, because you’ll never know who you’ll meet on your way down”.