Recently I have reflected on the appropriate attitude towards people that I am meeting for the first time. It could be a stranger in the elevator, a fellow passenger on the tube or a friend of a friend. There are at least three important elements which I sum up with a acronym PEN.
P = Positivity. Always start and stay positive towards others.
E = Equality. Think of others as equal to you, no more and no less.
N = Neutrality. Don’t hold any bias in favor or against a stranger based on your own experience or his/her appearance. Begin with a neutral ground before forming your opinion of him/her. Avoid make assumptions and judgment.