Put on that happy face

I saw a post from a good friend who described a recent experience they had with a recruiter. To the recruiter, the written and verbal exchanges were just with another applicant and there were still so many to contact. To the applicant, this was the first step to potentially earning a job! The attitude of the recruiter did not make the applicant feel valued and spoke poorly of the recruiter and the company offering the position.

This reminded me of an experience I had many years ago and the impact that it still has today.

I purchased a new touring motorcycle and was excited to jump on then start exploring the roads less travelled. Delivery seemed to take a long time and I was in regular contact with the salesman. Whether in person or on the phone, I was always greeted cordially. He actively listened to my concerns then explained what he would do to address them. I felt valued as a customer and appreciated his personal and caring approach.

When the first payment was due and I had still not received my motorcycle, I went to the dealership and confronted the salesman. I became increasingly unpleasant with mutual loud and animated words being exchanged. In the heat of it, he received a phone call and excused himself. Here is where I learned a valuable lesson.

He walked to his desk phone angry but before picking it up, laughed slightly. With a smile in his voice, he said, "Hi, this is Dave. How can I help you?" The person on the other end of the call had no idea that Dave had almost come to blows with a customer just seconds before and did not care. To the person on the phone, they were greeted cordially, felt valued and had a pleasant conversation. To Dave's credit, he was able to put aside our conflict to greet the customer appropriately.

Stress can come from different directions and make us "unhappy" at times. When this spills over to a subsequent conversation with a client, co-worker or family member, it can be interrupted negatively. When this happens to you, think of Dave!

I start each day with a prayer of appreciation for having another day. It is a new beginning and a fresh start. When situations arise that have a negative effect, I try to regroup so this attitude does not spill over to the next person I encounter. It can be a process but remember that those you come in contact with don't need to know that you are upset at something having nothing to do with them.

Thanks Dave!