I work at a company where there are about a gazillion employees. I can't say that I know them all by name, but I know my fair share of them. I think that almost all of them know me. I'd say that's the reason I've been able to go wherever it is I've made it to in this world. It's all based on one simple principle: I believe every single person deserves to be acknowledged, however small or simple the greeting.

我所在的公司雇员众多，虽然我不敢说我能叫出他们每一个人的名字，但是我认识他们中的大部分人。我想他们几乎都认识我。这一点可以说是我能够在这个世界上达到我想要的高度的原因。我只是遵循了这样一个简单的原则：我深信每一个个体都应当得到认可，哪怕只是一句简短的问候。

 

When I was about 10 years old, I was walking down the street with my mother. She stopped to speak to Mr. Lee. I was busy trying to bulls-eye the"O "in the stop sign with a rock. I knew I could see Mr. Lee any old time around the neighborhood, so I didn't pay any attention to him.

当我十岁左右的时候，我跟母亲在街上散步。她停下来跟李先生说话。那时我正全神贯注于用一块石头瞄准停车牌上的O。我知道时常能在邻里间碰到李先生，所以我没有理他。

 

After we passed Mr. Lee, my mother stopped me and said something that has stuck with me from that day until now. She said, "You let that be the last time you ever walk by somebody and not open up your mouth to speak, because even a dog can wag its tail when it passes you on the street."

李先生走过以后，母亲让我停下来，跟我说了一些话，那些话直到现在我都还记得。她说：“你以后再也不许像刚才那样碰到人的时候闷声不响。即使是街边的小狗，有人来了都懂得摇摇尾巴呀。”

 

That phrase sounds simple, but it's been a guidepost for me and the foundation of who I am.

这句话听着简单，但是却成了我做人的准则和基石。

 

When you write an essay like this, you look in the mirror and see who you are and what makes up your character. I realized mine was cemented that day when I was 10 years old. Even then, I started to see that when I spoke¹ to someone, they spoke back. And that felt good.

当写这样一篇文章时，你就像在看着镜中的自己，审视自我，审视是什么造就了自己的性格。而我意识到我的性格就是在十岁的那一天定了型。也是那个时候，我开始发现，只要我跟别人说话，别人就会回应我。那种感觉很好。

 

It's not just something I believe in; it's become a way of life. I believe that every person deserves to feel someone acknowledge their presence, no matter how humble² they may be or even how important.

这不仅是我的信条，也是我的生活方式。我坚信每个人不管卑微也好，显赫也罢，他们的存在都应当得到别人的认可。

 

At work, I always used to say hello to the founder³ of the company and ask him how our business was doing. But I was also speaking to the people in the cafe and the people that cleaned the buildings, and asked how their children were doing. I remembered after a few years of passing by the founder, I had the courage to ask him for a meeting. We had a great talk. At a certain point, I asked him how far he thought I could go in his company. He said, "If you want to, you can get all the way to this seat."

在公司，我过去常常跟公司的创始人打招呼，向他们咨询公司的运作情况。但我也会和餐厅员工和清洁工们交谈，聊一聊他们孩子的近况。记得我和创始人打了几年招呼以后，我才鼓起了勇气请求与他面谈。我们谈得很愉快。在一个适当的时候我问过他，在他看来我在公司能够做到什么位置。他回答说：“如果你愿意，你可以一直做到我这个职位。”

 

I've become vice⁴ president, but that hasn't changed the way I approach people. I still follow my mother's advice. I speak to everyone I see, no matter where I am. I've learned that speaking to people creates a pathway into their world, and it lets them come into mine, too.

现在我已经成了公司的副总裁。但是这并没有改变我待人接物的方式。我依旧牢记母亲的教诲，不管在什么地方，我都向遇到的每一个人致意。我发现，跟人们交谈就是建立一条通向他们世界的通道， 而这条通道也能让他们进入我的世界。

 

The day you speak to someone who has their head held down and when they lift it up and smile, you realize how powerful it is just to open your mouth and say, "Hello."

如果某一天你对一个垂头丧气的人打招呼，当他抬头微笑时，你就能发现，简单的问候有多么大的力量。

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