Keys To Connecting 13

Abraham Lincoln said over a hundred years ago, It is an old and true maxim that “a drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of gall.” So with men, if you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend. Therein is a drop of honey that catches his heart; which say what you will, is the great high road to reason.

I’m in complete agreement with President Lincoln. If you truly want to impact a person, you have to begin in a friendly manner. Far too often people who are of differing opinions try to convince each other through facts presented in an overly zealous manner. This guns-a-blazing approach so often causes an even bigger divide. What is really needed is a kind handshake and respect.

People have value. People deserve to be treated fairly. People deserve to be listened to in a kind manner. I was once told that if you want to make more friends, you yourself need to be friendly.

So the next time you find yourself in a situation where you are in disagreement with someone, slow down and take a deep breath. If you really want to come to an agreement, be intent on treating this person as you would want to be treated – friendly.

How has treating someone else friendly turned out to be beneficial for you?