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RELATIONSHIPS - EMOTIONAL BANK
ACCOUNT
Everyone has an Emotional Bank Account. This concept is primarily
how we interact with friends, family, co-workers, etc. If I make
deposits into an Emotional Bank Account
with you through courtesy, kindness, honesty, and keeping my commitments
to you, I build up a RESERVE. Your trust
toward me becomes higher, and I can call upon that trust many times if I
need to. I can even make mistakes and that trust level, that emotional
reserve, will compensate for it.
But if I have a habit of showing discourtesy, disrespect, cutting you
off, overreacting, ignoring you, becoming arbitrary, betraying your
trust, threatening you, or playing little tin god in your life,
eventually my Emotional Bank Account is
OVERDRAWN. The trust level gets very low. Then what flexibility
do I have? -- NONE! I'm walking on mine fields. I have to be careful of
everything I say. I measure every word. It's tension city, memo haven.
It's protecting my backside, politicking. And many organizations
are filled with it. Many marriages and families are
filled with it. I must be careful, otherwise I could permanently
close my account with you – end of our
relationship.
SIX MAJOR DEPOSITS IN A PERSON'S EMOTIONAL BANK ACCOUNT
(1) Understanding the Individual
(2) Attend to the Little Things
(3) Keeping Commitments
(4) Clarifying Expectations
(5) Showing Personal Integrity
(6) Apologizing Sincerely When You Make a Withdrawl
[source: adapted from Stephen R. Covey THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY
EFFECTIVE PEOPLE] |
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