Anticipating Bad Behavior From Another Is No Excuse

In our recent article, we discussed how expecting reciprocity when doing a good deed can lead to problems with relationships and loss of creativity at work.

Here is yet another mangled (and cynical) mutation of the Law of Reciprocity:

An article in Forbes advises job hunters to go ahead and take a “meh” job, but continue unabated your search for a better one. Bad behavior, almost certain to inflict a fatal blow to the credibility and future employability of the opportunist. The justification offered: The employer wouldn’t hesitate to let you go if it were experiencing financial difficulties. They’re probably not going to show you any loyalty, the explanation goes, so why should you be loyal to them?

Anticipating bad behavior from another won’t let you off the hook for treating that person badly.

As nasty and devious as is doing a good deed for the explicit purpose of inducing the beneficiary to do a good deed in return, it doesn’t compare with the deviousness and lack of character demonstrated by doing a bad deed anticipating one might be done to you by the other person!

Keep it simple: Do what you believe is right, regardless of what you think the other person might do.

Keep it even simpler: Do what you believe is right, even if they’ve already treated you wrong.