Treat others as you would like to be treated

 

Is it okay to intimidate others or show off your position?

Situation :

Nowadays, circumstances often require us to act with authority. If we don't assert our authority over our children, spouses, neighbours, subordinates at work, and employees in shops and offcies, life can become chaotic. Without this control, people may become arrogant and defiant, and we may find ourselves vulnerable to their actions. Hence, we may feel the need to maintain control and command respect through a degree of swagger, pressure, or the use of our authority. If we always act with humility, others might view us as timid or weak. So, is this slight arrogance or assertiveness of ours unacceptable? Is it a negative trait?

Additionally, those who are older than us at home or higher in rank at work may also attempt to dominate us. We often dislike their arrogance, feeling that they could be inflating our egos. We tend to think quite highly of ourselves, which leads to resentment towards anyone who behaves arrogantly towards us. When faced with intimidation, we may become unruly. So, what should we do in response?

Solution : 

If you yourself cannot tolerate arrogant behavior from others, or if you yourself dislike arrogant behavior from others, then you can understand that others also do not like your arrogant speaking or imposing your dominance. They, too, must not like your method of influencing them or imposing your position on them. Then why do you treat others with arrogance or a sense of position, or pressure them? While you acknowledge that you don't appreciate some such attitudes in other people, you also assert that this type of egoistic attitude is required. I would like to know if you think such attitudes are beneficial or bad.

Nowadays, people are no longer quietly oppressed; instead, they become outraged by illegal acts of oppression, leading to a complete loss of respect for the oppressor. This shift is one of the reasons why labourers and workers have formed unions and organisations to stand up for their rights. If someone behaves with them in a slightly arrogant manner, they will suppress them once or twice; the third time, their union will file a complaint against him, burn his effigy, and launch a campaign against him. Similarly, if someone at home puts too much pressure on a younger family member or always undermines their authority, that person may eventually speak out and become aggressive toward them. 

Hence, it is incorrect to claim that life cannot exist without being egoistic or being assertive about one's position. In reality, people respect and appreciate the quality of humbleness in a person. If someone is full of ego, people do not like to work for him. 

A good illustration of this is the story of the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, where Edmund Sullivan, a chief engineer with immense talent but also a significant ego, consistently alienated his colleagues by taking credit for others' work and refusing to acknowledge their contributions, leading to a high-pressure environment and eventual resignations. Conversely, in a more positive example, Bill Gates's shift from a notoriously arrogant young CEO to a more humble, collaborative leader eventually fostered a positive culture at Microsoft, encouraging his team to feel valued and motivated to work for him.

Humble leaders create an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas and collaborating towards a common goal.