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The 3 Kinds of People: Wise, Foolish, and Evil
“You have more influence to bring about change than you might think, but the key is knowing what to do with different kinds of people.”
- Necessary Endings, page 122
Wise People
“When the truth presents itself, the wise person sees the light, takes it in, and makes adjustments” says Dr. Cloud.
Because they can handle feedback and will truly use it to make changes, the way to deal with people in this category is to keep talking. Discussing the issues and exploring ways to change is effective because no one is discounting behaviors or making excuses. The truth is laid out on the table so that real solutions can emerge and meaningful change can occur. A wise person gives you a real reason to have hope that things will be different.
Foolish People
“The fool tries to adjust the truth so he does not have to adjust to it.” Conversations with foolish people are the most frustrating because it feels like you are talking to a wall. They never seem to hear the feedback.
So, the way to deal with a foolish person is simple: stop talking. At least about the problem. There’s a word for continuing to remind someone of a behavior that they don’t see the need to change: it’s called nagging. And it doesn’t work…
