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I certainly don't mean that you can or should respond to every request. I mean that you can do the same amount of work, and depending on how you present yourse
by SatvikBeri 14y ago
I certainly don't mean that you can or should respond to every request.
I mean that you can do the same amount of work, and depending on how you present yourself, you can be seen as the accommodating doormat (and consequently, treated like shit) or the guy who can get things done (and be treated well, trusted with more important stuff, etc.)
- jakejake 14y agoYou originally said "take any request no matter how absurd" which I would have understood to mean that you never refuse any request. I do know of one guy who can get anything done by way of an impressive network of personal connections. But he is not afraid to refuse petty requests - because his time and favors are valuable. That is the distinction, I think.
- roc 14y agoThe distinction is in the type of work being accommodated. The article is particularly referring to trivial tasks. The person who does trivial stuff, no matter how impressive their demeanor, is going to be known as the person to whom you take your trivial requests. Not the person you take important work to. Not the person you entrust with serious responsibilities. Unless you have your own staff, to which you delegate the actual doing of trivial things, there's really no way to dress that up.