You Can Only Rip it Off or Tear it Out Once…

(One of the 83 quick and practical life & work lessons from Sh*t Sandwich: Quick & Practical Success Lessons for Practically Anyone.)

Everyone’s Got Just One Head and One Heart

“They may forget what you said; but they will never forget how you made them feel.”

This quote is often credited to various sources, but it was the not-so-famous Carl Buehner who first uttered this truism.

Whether you’re a frontline, entry-level receptionist or the CEO, it’s critical to remember that people are emotional beings; and getting what you really want out of life always requires the help of others.

I like to say that everyone has just one head and one heart. To prove I like to say that, here’s an official quote:

“Everyone has just one head and one heart.” – Steve Stauning

You can only take someone’s head off once.

You can only rip out their heart once.

I’ve seen managers viciously scold their teams in an attempt to “correct” them into making fewer mistakes… and it works (if their goal is to increase mistakes). I’ve seen salespeople – sensing weakness in a customer – do everything in their power to strip the prospect of every penny… and it works (if their goal is to never sell that customer again).

If your long-term goals depend on someone (a coworker, a customer, a subordinate), you’d better hope you didn’t take off their head or rip out their heart already. Everyone’s got just one of each.

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