The Say Hello Project: Did It Work?
Do you know who you are stood next to whilst waiting for your coffee, or who you are sat next to on your flight, or indeed, who you are sharing the elevator with? If you simply said hello to that stranger near you, you just might find out.
On October 4, 2013, I ran my first National Day here in New Zealand called The Say Hello Project. The goal to was to encourage others to say hello to 5 people that they didn’t currently know, but came into contact with, so I had some banners and t-shirts printed and gained the help of Starbucks NZ to help to spread the word.
Free coffee at the ready, banners held high, Hello t-shirts on, we were prepared to get the CBD talking to each other. Or not.
I would say that the people of Queen Street that morning were pretty much the same as on any other busy walkway around the world, people going about their business on their way to work. But I was quite amazed at what I encountered, just how hard it was for people to simply say hello, even though we had free coffee and big yellow banners encouraging them to do so.
Some things I noticed:
- I estimated almost half were plugged in, headphones on and definitely not interested in those around them (or us)
- Most that were plugged in were under 35 years of age
- Only a dozen asked us what and why we were doing it
- There was a real reluctance to accepting the coffee, even from a well-known brand and we were outside their store.
- Even when we made eye contact and shouted hello to those plugged in, most simply ignored us.
It really struck me about how we are becoming a nation living in our own individual plugged in capsules, whether we are plugged into music or our smartphone. We are just not interacting much with those around us anymore.
Turn the clock back 50 years, and walking down any street would have been quite different. People would have been much more aware of their surroundings and perhaps stopping to chat a while to others out of good manners or brief encounters.
Will this have an effect on the younger generations and their ability to communicate with people they don’t know, will it even matter? Is it just a sign of the times, or will there be a resurgence? Human face-to-face connection is so very valuable.
Undeterred, I plan to run the event again next year, get more brands involved and get better media coverage, because I believe its worthwhile. It’s not just a nice thing to do; it’s an important thing to do.
Hello! I do hope you follow my posts in the future. You might also be interested in follow the Facebook page for The Say Hello Project.
My latest book “Start with Hello†(Wiley) is out now and talks about how to meet more people you don’t currently know by starting with hello. You can get a complimentary sample of a chapter from here. Thanks.
Independent Financial and IT Professional
11 年I believe that we should always greet each other with at least hello. I was recently laid-off and I sent the following email to my co-workers. It was well received and I hope it makes a difference at my old employer (The company name has been replaced with ...). "It has been a fruitful seven years here at .... This is a fascinating and fast growing business; I will follow your success for years to come. While working here at ..., I tried my best to say hello to everyone I encountered. This has gained me many friends and the hellos and smiles I received in response to my greetings have made this a warmer and friendlier place to work. I believe it is important to great each other throughout the day. It lightens the atmosphere and promotes camaraderie. Try it. Management here at ...works hard to promote collaboration; we can all assist them by starting with a friendly hello. Think about it, who are you more likely to openly and freely collaborate with, a person you greet with a friendly hello as you pass them in the hall or a person you ignore as if they weren't there? Hellos garner smiles; smiles lift our spirits. You can’t hope for a better payback than that. Goodbye and Good Luck Craig "
Associate at Robert Half Executive Search
11 å¹´Well, one of the most telling things about a person is how they say hello, handshakes..great read though!
Instructor at Kumon Hillcrest
11 å¹´A super idea! I have tried it with a smile but people are so engrossed in themselves that they either ignore you or look at you strangely.Yet,try interacting with children and the response is amazing.They are so spontaneous and happy!What a different world if adults took note!All the luck with your project for the future(even if it is on a digital platform)!
Director & Co-Founder Hype & Dexter
11 年In the mid 90's on my way to a Summer course I tried a similar personal experiment I said hello, good morning or simply smiled at people as I walked from the my home to the bus in Browns Bay and the Bus to my course in Auckland City. This was pre the plugged in phenomenon, but the results were pretty similar - in Auckland City - most did not respond, averted their eyes or when I did get a response it was almost by a shocked automatic response mechanism, however in Browns Bay I was always met with a hearty response and many bet me to it. I've lived city side pretty much since, and have no qualms with leaving the Shore – but sometimes I think city life – even in a small city could be a lot nicer if we stop and acknowledge each other a bit more like the shore people do.