courtesy is not consent

We often mistake courtesy for consent. Just because someone is nice to us doesn’t mean that we have his or her approval to do anything we feel is right.

When we’re selling a product or service or building friendships and relationships, professional or personal, we need to be able to distinguish between courtesy and consent. The key lies in effective communication and being empathetic.

It’s not fair to take things for granted and jump into something hastily. Just because someone is being nice and kind does not mean that they will not say ‘No’. We need to learn this principle as soon as we can and practice it so that we can form better bonds and healthy relationships that are long-lasting and enriched with love and respect.