Falling for Grace

It's true. No matter how smart you are, how attractive you are, how rich you are, or how powerful you are, being gracious and polite takes you to the next level for most people.

Most people desire to be gracious, but occasionally aren't due to distress, dislike or disgust. Being able to control your impulses and remain gracious when under difficult conditions can be a good way of training your mind and emotions to serve you.

Then, there are those people who do not desire to be gracious. Being ungracious implies three things: honesty; power; and a degree of self-centeredness. A person who is not gracious does not care how others feel about him. He tells it like it is, and doesn't care about the fall-out. Some people are strongly attracted to such people. They appear arrogant, uncaring, and self-centered to their detractors, but powerful and honest to their supporters. Their certainty about their position often leads some to believe what they say without question. Their self-centeredness and naked use of power leads many to fear, dislike and become frustrated with interactions with these people.

The true skill is to be both honest and well-mannered, powerful yet humble, and to care about others without selling yourself down the river. Hitting that perfect balance takes knowledge, training, and practice. And yet, is probably one of the most important skills not taught in school.