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The
advice of TV personality Mister Rogers is not just for kids. You may
never embrace his philosophies to the point that you will sing,
"What a beautiful day in the
. . . cube farm." However, after reading this two-part tribute to
Fred McFeeley Rogers, better known as "Mister Rogers," you may
agree that his philosophies for achieving success in working with
children are surprisingly effective success
principles for working with adults in the business environment.
Let's look at some key Fred
Rogers quotes that can add immediate power to your communications
effectiveness at work and in the home. So, please, take off your sweater,
hang it up over there, and join us, won't you?
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There
is a universal truth that I have found in my work. Everybody longs to
be loved. And the greatest thing we can do is let somebody know that
they are loved and capable of loving.
Fred
Rogers (TV personality "Mister Rogers")
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Key Point
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In these words
(as quoted in Kids Are Worth It by
Barbara Coloroso), Fred expresses his conviction that personal success
and emotional fulfillment hinge on how lovable a person believes he or
she is. This theme is reiterated in his books and demonstrated in his
television show.
Note that he calls this a universal truth, not just a
truth for child rearing. In a similar quote, he also said, "The
overriding theme that people long to hear is that they're acceptable as
they are."
How can you apply this to your work as a manager or
leader? Simply this; remember that every employee and every co-worker
around you longs to be appreciated for who they are. They may do their
jobs for money, but they are human. As such, the basic human need for
feeling loved, lovable, and capable of loving is omnipresent the
employee can't turn off the need when entering the workplace and turn
it back on after punching out. If these emotional needs are always at
play in the human mind, then it is the wise leader who feeds rather
than starves those needs.
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Mister Rogers - Not Just for Kids
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As was evident
in his television series and in his books, Fred Rogers cared deeply
about children. While his work focused on youngsters, those who knew
him personally recognized his compassion to all humanity. In fact, you can apply much of his
advice in working with children to working with adults with equal
success. To recognize the business-world value of his advice, simply
replace the word "child" used by Fred with the word
"employee." Likewise, remove the word "parent" from
the quote and put the word "manager" or "leader" in
its place. Then watch what happens to the quote. For example, take this
quotation from chapter one of his book Mister Rogers Talks with Parents:
"I don't believe that children can develop
in a healthy way unless they feel that they have value apart from
anything they own or any skill that they learn. They need to feel they
enhance the life of someone else, that they are needed. Who, better
than parents, can let them
know that?"
Let's take this same quote yet substitute as I recommended
above, and you get an astounding piece of business wisdom:
"I don't believe that employees
can develop in a healthy way unless they feel that they
have value apart from anything they own or any skill that they learn.
They need to feel they enhance the life of someone else, that they are
needed. Who, better than their managers, can let them know that?"
Everyone needs to know that they have value, not just
because of what they do but because of who they are. You will not long
be in management before you find yourself working with an employee who
feels unappreciated, even though you praise their work. Try using the
human relations principles of Fred Rogers; you may simply need to
reassure and encourage the personal worth of that employee to dissolve
self- defeating attitudes.
It's the difference between, "You do great work here," and
(to quote Mister Rogers), "I
like you just the way you are." You may not feel comfortable
using those exact words, particularly when addressing the opposite
gender. Try then to rephrase the same sentiments into something like,
"I appreciate your
personality and what it adds to the team," still affirming the
person for who they are, apart from what they do. Like the parent to
the child, the manager is uniquely positioned to provide that
confidence-boosting affirmation.
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I Like You Just The Way You Are
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There you have
it evidence that we are not so different from children on many
psychological and social levels. With the passing of Fred McFeeley
Rogers from this life to the next, I hope his friends and family are
comforted with the knowledge that Fred made a difference in our
culture, and our lives for children and adults.
Nor is his teaching done; through his writing and
television work Fred gave us a legacy of positive people-management and
parenting advice. It's the kind of advice we can respect most the
kind that was lived out daily, consistently, by the man who
communicated these gems of wisdom to us. Let us honor Fred Rogers by
doing our part to make this a more "beautiful day in the
neighborhood."
Ric Moxley, Editor
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What is Your Favorite Quote?
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Is there a
quote that has either served you inspirationally in the workplace or
has been valuable in your speech or in writing? Write and tell us about
it. We may feature your quote in a future issue to
inspire others.
Also,
please write and tell us how
our weekly quotes have enhanced your writing and speaking. Your
feedback helps us tailor our quote selections to your needs and often
inspires others as well.
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Let WriteWorks Help
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When you need the right turn of phrase for such a critical
topic in your speaking or writing, call on WriteWorks. We wordsmith
marketing materials, proposals, presentations, articles, reports,
speeches, manuscripts, help files, instruction manuals, and more. We
ensure that your words succinctly and effectively bring home your
message. With our network of world- class freelance writers and
editors, we match your project with the perfect writer. Call us today
to discuss your needs and learn how easy and beneficial! it is to do business with us. Thanks, from the Writing
that Works staff:
Ric Moxley (Writer/Editor) ,
Donna Cornelius (Contributing Editor),
Jim Moxley (Copy Editor), and
Phyllis Moxley (Proofreader, Copy Editor)
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