What really firmed up this perspective was something Shigesato Itoi taught me in my early thirties. Itoi is over ten years older than me, but when I saw how much respect he showed toward people who could do things he didn’t understand, I thought, “This guy is cool. I want to be like that.” Most importantly, though, I realized, “He’s not doing anything exceptional, just showing honest admiration for people who can do things he can’t do.” I’m not simply being moralistic. Treating the people you meet on the job with respect makes your own work more fulfilling. That’s all I’m trying to say.
