Approval

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One of the greatest holds on us is the need for approval. We act in certain ways to get people's approval. One of the hardest lessons I am going through right now as a manager and therefore a boss is not to seek the approval of my staff nor of my colleagues or my superiors.

As long as I work with integrity, I ought to find satisfaction in my work and not fear what others say. Integrity is doing what is right. Sometimes there is no clear right or wrong, and yet you can still anger someone. You can inadvertently step on someone's toes or offend someone, and under stress perhaps not have been the most polite.

I believe an apology is never too late, as long as it is sincere. I believe in being the bigger person, to apologise first, even if you feel you were wronged as well. What the apology should be about, however, is not to seek approval but to genuinely reconnect and ease any tension that may have arisen out of a situation.

There is nothing wrong with being well-mannered and respectful, as we all know, because this makes interpersonal relationships and communication easier and more genuine, but what it boils down to is the heart. Are you acting in that way to get approval or because you genuinely respect that person? It's the heart that matters most.

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