What a nice way to live life when you consistently go out of your way to compliment those people who serve others but are not usually treated with a great deal of respect. From the waitperson to the skycap, from the hotel doorman to, well, any service person - aside from tipping or a quick thank you, do you refer to them as sir or ma'am? Do you acknowledge them with kindness? Do you genuinely think of them as important and significant, and does it show?

Yes, it makes a definite difference to their self-esteem. It also reflects how far they'll go out of their way to make sure you are happy. And you never know when that will come in handy.

An excellent illustration of Winning Without Intimidation by complimenting the uncomplimented showcases the abilities of the great former quarterback and now highly successful entrepreneur, Fran Tarkenton. As a quarterback, and a small one at only 5'10", Fran was always the target of the huge, tough, often merciless defensive linemen.

Linemen can be mean to quarterbacks. They're supposed to be. That's their job. On top of that, they know they don't earn the kind of money most quarterbacks earn and they certainly don't enjoy the same adulation and glory. Those 320 pound guys can be downright rough on the Fran Tarkentons of the world.

But Fran is a master at dealing with people. He is now, and certainly was back then. According to his former teammate, Ahmad Rashad, after a particularly rough hit, Fran would acknowledge his attacker by saying something like, "Great day for football, isn't it?" or "Man, that was quite a hit."

These guys weren't exactly used to quarterbacks actually talking to them in more than four letter words - and they certainly weren't used to being treated as human beings. Before long, they weren't quite as aggressive, mean and nasty with Fran. Sure, they'd still hit him, but they wouldn't rough him up as they did other quarterbacks. He took the anger out of them and probably added years to his Hall of Fame career.

Wow, that's when Winning Without intimidation really comes in handy - when your life depends upon it!

Of course, most of us aren't professional quarterbacks, or otherwise chased by wild-eyed, maniacal, and just plain nasty 320 pound men even for non-athletic reasons . . . I hope. So, let's go back to how we treat those who are generally not treated with a great deal of respect by other people. This also applies to anyone who may not seem to be in a position to do something for us.

Maybe they are the one in need. As mentioned earlier, do you think of them as important and significant human beings? Do you genuinely feel that way on the inside so that your feelings radiate on the outside? Yes, it does makes a definite difference to them, and does almost ensure they'll go out of their way to make sure you are happy.

No, that's not the "reason" you treat them well ... just the "result."

Bob Burg http:www.burg.com is author of Endless Referrals: Network Your Everyday Contacts Into Sales, Winning Without Intimidation and The Success Formula.

He has a full line of books, ebooks and CDs from which everyone can grow and prosper. Check them out by going to http:www.burg.com , then click on the link to his online store. Bob also publishes a free weekly ezine to which you can subscribe going to http://www.burg.com/newsletter.html.