乔治·洛里默/George Lorimer

While we're on this subject of favors I want to impress on you the importance of deciding promptly. Decision is a sharp knife that cuts clear and straight and lays bare the fat and the lean；indecision, a dull one that hacks and tears and leaves ragged edges behind it. Say yes or no—seldom perhaps.

When a fellow asks for a job in your department there may be reasons why you hate to give him a clear-cut refusal, but tell him frankly that you see no possibility of placing him, and while he may not like the taste of the medicine, he swallows it and it's down and forgotten. But you say to him that you're very sorry your department is full just now, but that you think a place will come along later and that he shall have the frst call on it, and he goes away with his teeth in a job. You've simply postponed your trouble for a few weeks or months. And trouble postponed always has to be met with accruedinterest.

Of course, I don't mean that you want to go rampaging along, trampling on people's feelings and goring every one who sticks up a head in your path. But there's no use shilly-shallying and doddering with people who ask questions and favors they have no right to ask. Don't hurt any one if you can help it, but if you must, a clean, quick wound heals soonest.

When you can, it's better to refuse a request by letter. In a letter you need say only what you choose；in a talk you may have to say more than you want to say.

With the best system in the world you'll find it impossible, however, to keep a good many people who have no real business with you from seeing you and wasting your time. Of course, the man whose errand could be attended to by the offce-boy is always the one who calls loudest for the boss, but with a little tact you can weed out most of these fellows, and it's better to see ten bores than to miss one buyer.

You've got to open a good many oysters to fnd a pearl.

现在，让我们来谈一谈做事要当机立断的重要性。当机立断如同一把锋利的刀，它可以帮你斩断乱麻，让你看清事物的本质；而优柔寡断则如同一把未开刃的钝刀，一刀下去，不仅不会斩断乱麻，反而会留下更多麻烦。做事情要么说“是”，要么说“不”，千万不要优柔寡断。

如果有人希望从你的公司里谋得一个职位，而你出于某些考虑不能直截了当地拒绝。那么你可以坦白地对他说，公司里恐怕没有适合他的职位——他当然不想咽下这口苦水，但也只能主动放弃，并渐渐忘记这件事情。相反，如果你对此优柔寡断，连连抱歉，并告诉他公司现在已经饱和，却又向其承诺如果以后有机会，一定会首先给他打电话，那么他就会始终怀揣希望。你仅仅是将麻烦拖后了数周或数月，但麻烦会像待付的利息，终究会找上门。

当然，我的意思不是让你成为一个独断专行的领导者，完全无视手下人的感受，让所有人在你所指引的道路上举步维艰。对那些原本没有任何能力，却希望从你这里得到帮助的人，你无须优柔寡断。你要竭尽所能地帮助任何人，然而在无可奈何时，当机立断留下的伤口愈合得最快。

只要条件允许，你最好能够以书信的形式拒绝他人。信中只是说出你的选择即可，口述的麻烦可能会远远超出你的想象。

即便拥有最完善的管理系统，也不能防止那些与你无关的人找上你而浪费你的时间。毫无疑问，办公室里的勤杂工通常是最喜欢向老板提出各种无理要求的人。不过，略施小计便可以摆脱他们。更重要的是，每天看着十个这样的庸才离去，总比失去一个客户要好得多。

你必定要从许多个牡蛎中才能找到一颗珍珠。

心灵小语

着手前要深思熟虑，执行要果断有力。

W词汇笔记

ragged['r?ɡid]adj.粗糙的；锯齿状的；不规则的

例 She repaired the ragged doll.

她修补了破的洋娃娃。

accrued[?'krud]adj.应计的；增值的；权责已发生的

例 Accrued interest is added to the contract price of a bond transaction.

应计利息要加到债券交易合同价格中。

rampage[r?m'peid?]v.乱闹；狂暴；发怒

例 Does he rampage around like this once a week or so?

他这样横冲直撞，是不是一星期左右来一次？

errand['er?nd]n.差事；差使；使命

例 Would you mind running an errand for me?

你介意替我跑跑腿吗？

S小试身手

你要竭尽所能地帮助任何人，然而在无可奈何时，当机立断留下的伤口愈合得最快。

译________________________________________

只要条件允许，你最好能够以书信的形式拒绝他人。

译________________________________________

你必定要从许多个牡蛎中才能找到一颗珍珠。

译________________________________________

P短语家族

Trampling on people's feelings and goring every one who sticks up a head in your path.

stick up：竖起；伸直；突出

造________________________________________

The man whose errand could be attended to by the office-boy is always the one who calls loudest for the boss.

attend to：注意；照料；致力于

造________________________________________