Here is the story of an elderly gentleman’s successful use of the management technique of understanding mental make and acting accordingly. It sure beats the “stick” approach.

An elderly gentleman spent each afternoon tending his large garden on his corner lot. A group of 10-year-old boys began harassing him on their way home from school.

After a few days listening to their insults, he decided to act. The next day, he met the boys as they approached his house and told them that, as he lived alone and met so few young people, he was rather enjoying their attention. To show his appreciation, he told them that if they continued showing attention to him on the next day he would give them a dollar each. Amazed and excited, the next day the boys showed up right after school, showered the old man with jeers and got their reward of a dollar each. The old man asked them to come back the next day but, as he didn’t have much money, he could only give them a quarter each.

The kids still thought this was a pretty good deal and so the next day came and taunted him again. Once more, the old man paid them off, but announced that as he now had even less money, in future he would only be able to give them a penny each.

He never saw the boys again.