Happy Sunday Everyone:
I had a long/good work week, leaving the office Friday night around 7;00, and beat. I live by a golf club I belong to and figured I’d take Kim to dinner there, it’s easy, close, decent. The dining room Friday night was the stereotypical setting including some very grumpy looking older folks sitting a few tables over from us. The type that when you look at them staring at each other w/ no smile, no communication, has me thinking “I hope Kim and I are never like that”…I actually said that to Kim. This guy looked flat out mean, and angry.
There is a new gal working there, she’s tiny, 4’10, probably under 100 lbs. (no exaggeration), and very nice. She’s like a floating server, almost between a busser and a server. Our main server took our drink order and she rolls on over, says hello, and starts going off about the new menu, like she’s fired up for it. Talks me into ordering the fish, then walks off with a smile. She heads over to the grumpy old man and gets about four feet from the table, without looking up the guy holds his hand up so she doesn’t get closer. She looks a little confused, and walks away. I’m in disbelief and telling Kim what an a-h#$e this guy is. I’m also fascinated. 20 minutes go by and she heads in again (keep in mind, this is not her table), she gets right by him, I’m not sure what was said but it wasn’t pleasant. The kind of awkwardness like watching a fan asking a celebrity/athlete for an autograph and getting denied, she walks off again. At this point, I’m honestly angry. It turns into our whole conversation. Kim is telling me not judge as I have no idea what may have happened to the guy in his life or today for that matter. We’re getting our bill and here she goes again, I’m in utter amazement, she is swimming with sharks. This time she makes some headway and all of the sudden I see the guy break a smile. She’s there for no more than 30 seconds but she walks off patting him on the shoulder, he has a big smile on his face, and he and his wife are actually speaking after she leaves.
Truth is-I have no idea what was said but when I was out for a run this morning I was thinking about this gal, what she did, and the whole experience. A few take aways for me.
· I’m not sure what was driving this gal to do what she was doing but it certainly wasn’t fear. Most of the people reading this are in sales. We need to remember the desired outcome rarely, if ever, comes on the first pass (or 2nd/3rd). I started thinking of some of the great relationships I have w/ clients and business partners, none of them started with a layup. We need to remember this when we’re on the front end of creating opportunities.
· it’s not a guarantee you’re a good person because you’re nice to people serving you, but in my opinion, it’s a guarantee you’re not if you’re mean to them. I know I say this often but picture 5 people you respect, like, and trust, my guess is they’re all nice to the people that serve them. Might take a personal gut check next time you’re interacting with someone serving you just to make sure.
· Recognize and praise people that are better than their minimum requirement. This young lady, probably making a little more than minimum wage, got a grumpy old man to smile with his wife, had me order a dish I had no intention of ordering, and taught me enough to want to write about her. I will tell her this when I see her next w/ a token of my appreciation (I’ll also find out the story of the old man!!).
· At this risk of sounding cheesy, my favorite thought, that made me smile when I was running, was this question; “How would I stack up if life was measured by the number of people I made smile?”. It’s a good question for all of us.
Thank you for taking the time to read this on your Sunday. Have a great day, and see if you can’t make a few smiles appear today.