July 20, 2014

One nice gesture can make a huge difference for someone, including yourself.

I tried to think about the last time I made someone’s day by a compliment or holding a door open for someone or any little gesture that resulted in a smile.  I’m sad to say, it’s been a while. 

I’m more disappointed to say that since that day in Dave’s Market, I’ve been paying more attention to people by noticing how they act and are shocked by what happens every day in this world.  People can be not only rude, but mean.  I was standing in line at the bank observing a little old lady at the counter doing her banking.  She was very slow to put her money in her wallet and then her wallet in her purse.  Understandably; I’m guessing, but think she was about 80 years old.  The person in front of me, who was next to be waited on kept taking a very loud impatient deep breath waiting for the old woman to be finished.  To my shock, the teller noticed the impatient man, and she too, took a loud deep breath and asked the woman to move aside.  The man went to the counter shaking his head while the clerk rolled her eyes said in a low whisper, and I quote “she shouldn’t even be here, she should be in a home”.  

Well, I wish at 80 I will be of sound mind to do my own banking.  I asked myself, why do people have to be so mean?  Is it possibly because not enough people are nice to each other!!  Maybe it has become the norm to complain and be rude.  I often experience this in my business when agents aren’t polite and just rude to other agents and even to other agent’s clients.  How can those agents be successful in an industry that depends so much on referrals and great customer service?  Does the public just accept this behavior? 

It is much easier to be nice than to be mean.  A simple smile at the old woman would have put her to ease and been able to place her wallet in her purse quicker.  The man was upset, the clerk was upset – both breathing heaving and stressed.  What if the man had simply smiled with an assurance to the woman to take her time.  (Probably an extra three seconds.)

I am very fortunate that the associates I work with are very nice, genuine and kind people.  I know they make people smile.

It is much easier to be nice and make a person smile then to be rude.  If you make one person smile every day, that is 365 people a year.

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