How to take a compliment (was RE: R-E-S-P-E-C-T me! (Please!) )

[Jim Barrow]

>Richard Combs wrote:

>General rule: When someone compliments you, thank them. Don't >insult, belittle, or attack them.

Very true, although most people I know tend to discount a person's compliment.  How many times have you heard someone compliment someone else, only to have that person say "Oh, I'm not really" or "I wish that were true. Last week I couldn't even..."

>As Dick said:

>>This is not rocket science. It's basic Dale Carnegie. If you
>>feel people don't respect you, don't blame them; they're just
>>reacting to the persona you present.

Most of the time.  In my particular instance, I joined a large corporation last April as a tech writer.  From day one my manager treated me more like a trespasser, than an employee.  I couldn't figure it out.  Submitting my time card for a signature in complete silence is rather unnerving.

I later found out that I was the sixth tech writer in four months.  The last five left the company as follows:

-  Goth girl who lost her mind at work claiming to be a vampire.
-  Experienced writer who died at her desk.
-  A writer who showed up maybe eight hours per week, but billed for 40 (terminated).
-  A writer who broke the record for the shortest employment.  I trained her from 8am to noon on her first day.  She didn't come back after lunch.
-  A seasoned writer who claimed that he could only produce one page of documentation per day (terminated)

So in this case, I don't think my manager was responding to my persona.  At least I hope not :^)