Page 220 - Becoming a Successful Manager

Appendix 211

Being an Excellent Manager Begins

with Being a Good Person—a Mensch

A mensch is a respectful and genuine person who is sensitive and
appropriately responsive to others’ feelings.
A mensch exhibits, embodies, and consistently adheres to
and advocates the following principles, attitudes, and behaviors
in dealings with people:

• Be a perpetual student and learn from everyone, regardless
of education, age, position, or status.
• In your desire to understand people, ask appropriate ques-
tions, in an appropriate way, at an appropriate time, and in
an appropriate place.
• Act responsibly and kindly toward yourself and others.
• Listen attentively to what people say, both verbally and non-
verbally, and respond appropriately to their messages.
• Demonstrate a genuine regard for all people’s feelings, and
accept those feelings as being valid.
• Be sensitively forthright and honest with people, leaving
little to the fate of imagination and confusion.
• Don’t allow defensiveness to dictate actions; all actions
should be guided by a desire to be helpful and cooperative.
• Make people feel valued by asking for their opinions,
requesting their help, praising commendable performance,
and being polite and courteous at all times.

In short, by being considerate, righteous, and positive in dealing
with people, a mensch builds healthy communication bridges.