Fine, Thank You!... And You?

Written on 6:48 PM by O

Positive Thinking, Positive Action is the name of a book I read last year. In this book, the author illustrates the logic of keeping a positive attitude in life. Part of his reason was that worry and fear usually don’t help solve a problem causing negativity. Also, positive people seem to have better days as such an attitude tends to draw similar responses, even solutions from others.

There is an older man at my job (lets call him Tim) that is always cheerful and extremely jovial. He has the same attitude towards everyone, regardless of caliber. Tim’s friendliness is genuine, however, and it makes the other person feel important (they are not for points he cashes in at a later time; like: “Oh! That is so your color!”). I was challenged when I watched Tim conversing over the sound of the Hoover to the cleaning guy the other day. I usually say “thank you” and “How are you” to the guy when he comes around my office but Tim was asking about the man’s son and how everything was going with something about a conversation they seem to have had prior. A thought went off: “If I could have conversations like this one with everyone, I could have things work my way all/ most of the time too. Just like Tim!”

I think we could all learn a thing or two from Tim. On entering the workforce, it is vital that newcomers learn to develop attitudes that will make people want to stick around them, especially if it is in a field you are trying to build a career in. The confident nod and verbal greeting topped off with a smile goes a long way when your application for the advanced position is up against someone with more experience than you have. What’s more? People are so much more inclined to do things for those who have a genuinely respectful attitude not only when they want something, but all the time.

So, as we millennials walk into offices demanding our rights and dreaming of decor for the corner offices that are probably not ours yet, let us remember to listen to the answers we get in reply to questions like: “How are you?” Your next conversation could bring you a step closer to the corner office.

Is greeting everyone in your workplace a necessary gesture or is it overkill?

-O