by Steve Goodier
© 2005
http://LifeSupportSystem.com
It
was the late 1940s. Eastern Airline’s chair, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker,
had a problem. Customers were complaining because the airline was mishandling
luggage far too often. When nothing else seemed to work, he decided to take drastic
action.
Rickenbacker called a special meeting of the management
personnel in Miami. Eastern’s management flew to Miami and was told
their baggage would be delivered to their hotel rooms. Instead, Rickenbacker had
the luggage stored overnight.
It was summer, the weather
was hot and humid and the hotel had no air-conditioning. The various managers
showed up to the meeting the next morning unshaven, teeth unbrushed and wearing
dirty clothes.
There was no sign of the baggage all that
day. But that night Rickenbacker had it delivered, at 3:00 a.m., with a great
pounding on all the doors.
He opened the next morning’s
session by saying, “Now you know how the customer feels when you mishandle
his luggage.” He knew his team would be ineffective until his people empathized
with their customers!
The same is true with us. Until we
understand another’s problem, we will never be effective in business
or relationships. And the deepest understanding occurs when we actually sense
what the other is feeling. When husbands and wives, parents and children, friends,
colleagues, and associates will take time to feel what the other is feeling,
something wonderful is likely to happen.
Sounds to me like
a chance worth taking!
