It happens sometimes – people push you to a corner and make you do crazy things. Actually, when you are pushed to a corner and there is no way out, isn’t it logical to fight with all your might to survive?
If it can happen to you – it can happen to others too. It can happen by design or it can happen spontaneously. You may have to take a harsh stand against someone and you may have to do it in front of a group. If you get carried away, you may push that person to a corner and keep him there until he fights for his life. And he will. Without worrying about anyone else. He may regret for his actions later but the damage would have been done.
What could you do? The simple solution is to leave a door open at the corner. Allow the person to save his face and he will thank you for that – not now but sometime later.
Think about it. First, by pushing him to the corner you have made your point and if he is smart he is already got it. The additional mileage you will gain by keeping him in the corner is minimal. Leaving a door open in the corner will sort of end the “checkmate” between the two of you and the game is completed with a notional win.
When I talk about this concept, there is always one or two out there who contradict saying “Raj, the best thing to do is to avoid pushing someone to the corner so hard.” and I say “That is right.” I really do mean it. In fact, there are so many ideal things that I don’t have the time to record them. Life is not ideal and things won’t happen by the rule book. For those of you who may be thinking in those “ideal” scenarios, consider this an exception. Think about it this way. You may never push anyone into a corner in your life (I doubt it but let’s play the game anyway) but you can’t guarantee that for everyone that you know. It may so happen that someone is being pushed to a corner in a group and you are a silent witness. Here is your chance to open a door for the person who is looking for help.
Have a great week ahead!
Note 1: Here is a Squidoo lens that links to most of the previous articles in this series:
Squidoo: Distinguish Yourself
Note 2: The first 25 entries in the series have been packaged in a ChangeThis manifesto that was published on September 07, 2005. You can download that manifesto here:
ChangeThis Manifesto: 25 Ways to Distinguish Yourself (PDF, Free)
Note 3: My latest manifesto on ChangeThis was published on August 6, 2008. This is a photographic manifesto featuring 15 of my mini sagas (stories in exactly 50 words). Here is the link:
ChangeThis Manifesto: Mini Sagas – Bite Sized Lessons for Life and Business (PDF, Free)