386.每日英文读诵

【每日英文读诵，未来更加出众】
386.每日英文读诵-
【How to win friends and influence people - 167】
Ferdinand E. Warren, a commercial artist, used this technique to win
the good will of a petulant, scolding buyer of art.
"It is important, in making drawings for advertising and publishing
purposes, to be precise and very exact," Mr. Warren said as he told
the story.
"Some art editors demand that their commissions be executed
immediately; and in these cases, some slight error is liable to occur. I
knew one art director in particular who was always delighted to find
fault with some little thing. I have often left his office in disgust, not
because of the criticism, but because of his method of attack.
Recently I delivered a rush job to this editor, and he phoned me to
call at his office immediately. He said something was wrong. When I
arrived, I found just what I had anticipated - and dreaded. He was
hostile, gloating over his chance to criticize. He demanded with heat
why I had done so and so. My opportunity had come to apply the
self-criticism I had been studying about. So I said: ''Mr. So-and-so, if
what you say is true, I am at fault and there is absolutely no excuse
for my blunder. I have been doing drawings for you long enough to
know better. I'm ashamed of myself.'
"Immediately he started to defend me. 'Yes, you're right, but after
all, this isn't a serious mistake. It is only -'
"I interrupted him. 'Any mistake,' I said, 'may be costly and they are
all irritating.'
"He started to break in, but I wouldn't let him. I was having a grand
time. For the first time in my life, I was criticizing myself - and I
loved it.