MERITS OF RESPECT

Back in July, I had the opportunity to meet the President of Covenant Transport. He was introduced to me as Mr. Joey Hogan. I said, “It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hogan”, and he replied, “Please Gilbert, just call me Joey”.

We talked about our company, aspects of customer relations and employee communications. He asked me about a specific issue and again I said, “I see it this way, Mr. Hogan…” after which he said, “Gilbert, why won’t you call me ‘Joey’?”

As my readers know, I have no problem with telling anybody how I feel, so I said this to Mr. Hogan.

“You have done something with your life and with my company to earn my respect. You have earned the position of President of Covenant Transport. That is why I call you Mr. Hogan.

If you want to take me fishing and we are sitting in the middle of a lake in a boat and I need some bait, I will ask, ‘Hand me another worm, Joey’ because I don’t know what kind of fisherman you are, but here on company property, I will always call you Mr. Hogan.”

I hoped he understood, but I was not sure until we parted ways and I said, “It was a pleasure, Mr. Hogan”, and he shook my hand, smiled real big and said, “It was all my pleasure, Mr. Purtee.”