Saturday, June 5, 2004
8:33:00 AM EDT

The Signs of Arrogance

You believe that things are better than before and dismiss the idea there are still improvements that can possibly be made to your product/service/venture;

You dismiss or don't respond to questions that your customers, members and employees ask about your business and believe that they "just don't understand";

When challenged about your product or business you mention other customers or members who "like it just fine", or think the person is being difficult;

You do all the talking during an interaction with a member, customer or employee;

You look for people to blame, rather than accepting responsibility;

You let people know your time is precious and behave as if their time is of little consequence;

You are unwilling to encourage or receive personal feedback on your own performance;

Because you think you are (or will be) in charge you forget you are there to serve and represent the membership and protect their rights -- the entire membership; You keep things secret from or do not respond to the membership;

You question others motives or point to all the people who support/endorse you rather than addressing the issues;

You criticize others when you don't get your way or threaten to withhold your services;

You don't want to play by the same rules as others;

You must always win or be right – others must be wrong;

You tell others to shut up or file a complaint.

You tell others if they don’t like it to leave if you don’t agree with them;

You ridicule or name-call those who disagree with you or who criticize your actions;

You chide or grade those who give you feedback;

You discount others opinions while pointing out you know better or have done more;

A good example: Well, let's see. I'm a master, an NTD, an IA, I've been a USCF Delegate (most years) since the mid-70s. I don't think there's much question that I know more about the USCF and about chess in general than, say, someone who joined the USCF only ten years ago, has never had a rating above 1700, allowed his TD certification to lapse five years ago, has never written an article for publication or edited a chess magazine, whose main claim to notability has been trolling on RGCP, and who, as far as I know, has never served as a Delegate or attended a Delegates meeting.