Muneer A. Rasheed
Intimidation
"How not to be Maxed Out!"

It is said that intimidation is something we bring on ourselves.

People can usually take on any encounter without feeling pressure until we are told or made aware that we should be in awe of another person or feel fear!

I recall the train scene in the movie “Unforgiven” when a cowboy was ready to fight with Richard Harris character “English Bob”.

Just before things got too heated, the cowboy’s friend leans over and tells him that he was ready to gun fight with “English Bob”! This news causes the cowboy to apologetically back down.

What happened to the cowboy? Why did his bravado quickly give way to intimidation?

He was “Maxed out!”

Who or what was Max?

Years ago, while still a teenager, I worked as a professional trainer of K-9s.

Okay. I was a dog trainer!

Part of this work included working as the bad guy. In other words; the guy wearing the suite that the dogs attacked!

It was doing one job interview that I faced the K-9 academy’s succession of attacked dogs.

With reckless abandonment I took them (the dogs) on one after another.

During the process, the name Max kept coming up.

Each time his name was mentioned, the voice of the one who said it would do so with the sound of reverence in their voice.

I finally encountered Max and used all the tricks in my arsenal to completely aggravate him which I did and successfully got the job.

It was then mentioned to me that would be candidates for the same position heard of Max’s aggressiveness and wanted no part of him!

After hearing all the war stories; I too feed into prevailing fear!

I never worked with Max quite the same way again as I did during the first encounter.

Sometimes, not knowing or paying attention to all the horror stories keeps you from psyching yourself out of the game!

Consultants and all others who work with clients at the higher echelons should realize that to be truly successful you must: Prepare and Provide Value.

In this way you are in comfort zone that allows you concentrate on improving your client's condition and not who or what they represent.

So don’t let yourself get ”Maxed Out” by allowing other’s anxieties and fears dictate how you encounter the Max’s of the world.

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