Rules of thumb [Essay]

Over the years, I have been asked many times by students, employees, and peers at management meetings, as to what approaches to my assignments during my career as an engineer and as a manager served me best. While I would always take time to think about the question, the answer was almost always the same, whether one follows a technical career or a career in management-"There are four words that can help you build strong relationships, if you use them to build your daily work approach around. You could even call them 'Rules of thumb for careers'." The usual reactions were, "Sure," "Right," or for those who insist on being literal, "What four words could do that?" At that point I would suggest that everyone get comfortable and allow me to provide some insight into the topic.