HTDO
Mathews,
a hotshot sales manager, on a Sunday evening, was in the parking lot of a
shopping mall. The parking lot was packed. Cars were crawling with anxious
drivers looking for that one vacant slot. Mathews, sharp and aggressive as he
was known to be, spotted a vacant space ahead and quickly zoomed in. He could see another car trying to reverse
into the same slot, but Mathews was determined to beat the other man to
it. And he did ! Mathews felt jubilant - as we all sometimes
do with life's little victories. The old
man driving the car was disappointed. He looked Mathews in the eye and
continued his search for another parking slot.
Two
days later, Mathews was preparing for one of the biggest moments of his
career. He was close to winning a big
contract for his company. And all that
was left now was the formal handshake meeting with the client's CEO. As Mathews walked into the client's office
and saw the CEO, he felt a sudden sense of discomfort. Yes, it was the same man from whom he had
snatched the parking slot on Sunday. And
you can guess what happened thereafter.
Alas ! If only Mathews had grown up with the HTDO habit !
So
what is HTDO ?
It
has probably happened to you before. As
you walk towards the door of an office, or a hotel, the person walking in front
holds the door open for you. Remember
how good it made you feel - if only for that moment.
Isn't
it surprising that although we all feel good when someone holds the door open
for us, we seldom do the same for other ? How come ?
It's
probably because we are all preoccupied with ourselves and obsessed with
getting ahead. Here, then, is a
life-changing lesson they don't teach you in any B school - 'Hold The Door
Open'.
The
world can be divided into two types of people. Those who push open a door, walk
through and let it slam behind them.
That's the 99% of the population.
And there's the 1% who hold it open to allow the next person to walk
through. Learn to do that, and you too
could join the select 1% club. HTDO
doesn't merely make other people feel good. It makes you feel good too. HTDO
translates into a behaviour of helping and caring.
Winning
in life is less about naked ambition and more about helping other people
win.
Someone
once said, "It's nice to be important. But it's more important to be
nice"
Make
a beginning. Hold The Door Open.- HTDO
