Honest Appreciation

Back when there was zero income tax in the United States a person earning fifty dollars a week was considered well off. The famous steel magnate, Andrew Carnegie paid a thirty-eight-year-old man over a million dollars a year to become the first president of the newly formed United Steel company in 1921. Who was this young man and why was he paid over four hundred times the average salary?

That man was Charles Schwab, but why was he paid so much? Was he a genius? No. Because he knew more about the manufacturing of steel than others? Nonsense. Charles Schwab said himself that he had many men working for him that knew more about steel than himself. Here’s the reason, listen because the answer is within your reach and your ability, and you don’t need to go to school to learn it. Here it is, it was his ability to deal with people!!

Let’s look at what Mr. Schwab said. “I consider my ability to arouse enthusiasm among people the greatest asset I possess, and the way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement.” He went on to say, “There is nothing else that so kills the ambition of a person as criticism from superiors. I never criticize anyone. I believe in giving a person incentives to work. So I’m anxious to praise but not to find fault. If I like anything, it’s to be hearty in my appreciation and lavish in my praise.”

All of us desire to have a sense of importance, to know that what we do is valued and appreciated if we want that it stands to reason that others do as well. So let’s become appreciation givers!

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