Unless the reason for a rule is understood, it is difficult to learn the rule, and it is still more difficult to apply it successfully in practice.

-George C. Crocker, Crocker's Principles of Procedure

 It can be very tempting to give the reason "because I said so"  because it's so quick and easy, but it is seldom a compelling explanation for the person who hears it.  It may make a toddler follow instructions for a brief time, but rarely does it lead to lasting change (anyone who has ever tried to get a four-year-old to stop jumping on the couch or bed has experienced this). And even more importantly, it fails to teach the child anything and does not give him or her the ability to apply the same concepts to new situations.

Creativity loves constraint.  People often think of it in terms of artistic work—unbridled, unguided effort that leads to beautiful effect.  If you look deeper, however, you’ll find that some of the most inspiring art forms—haikus, sonatas, religious paintings, are fraught with constraints.  They’re beautiful because creativity triumphed over the rules…Creativity, in fact, thrives best when constrained.

-Marissa Mayer

While "thanks" has a nice ring to it, words just don’t carry the gravity of actions. If you’re in the customer service business—and every business is, in some capacity—you should strive to continually show your gratitude to customers in fun and memorable ways.

-Gregory Ciotti, HelpScout.com

One of the most self-destructive ways to listen in business and personal situations is listening with what I call the "yeah, buts."  This condition occurs when there is a kernel (or more) of truth in something negative that is being said but you don't want to hear it.  You are defensive about what the speaker is saying, so the first response out of your mouth is "yeah, but."  

Whether you're listening to a customer, boss, or spouse, you've got to put the automatic "yeah, but" response on hold.  These responses keep you from hearing the other person.  You block out any chance you have of learning something from this person.

-Michael C. Donaldson, Negotiating for Dummies

Always leave blank spaces in your calendar to accommodate the unexpected, because the unexpected is often more important than the expected.

- Lee Cockerell, Creating Magic

Whether or not you're into time management and keeping a careful schedule, you know how quickly an emergency can derail even your most carefully laid plans.  And that's the thing about planning - you can't plan for the unexpected.  Or can you? 

Maintain good posture.  Standing straight also sends the message that you are confident.  Get in the habit of holding your head comfortably high, but keep it in a relaxed position.  When you hold your head comfortably high, your body will naturally have good posture.  Try this posture exercise: pretend you have a string attached to the top of your head.  Imagine the string is being pulled straight up until you are standing tall and holding your head in a comfortable position.  When you find yourself slumping, do the string exercise.

-Renee Evenson, Customer Service Training 101