So what was it I said about attitude? I had the pleasure this morning of having to renew the license tags for some vehicles my family owns. Took my time and patience in getting to the DMV office downtown thinking the office opened at 8:00am. Much to my chagrin it was actually 8:30am for doing business.
So I pulled into the drive through lane awaiting an early morning interaction with a government entity. I sat there wondering if when the window would 'really' open up. As I watched many of the DMV employees making their way into the office, I could see smiles. It lifted me just thinking that these people were in good moods. This is in contrast to what the general perception is of a government job.
As time drew near, I thought about what it is that can motivate people to do a good job regardless of the position. I had remembered reading a quote from Martin Luther King that said, "... if a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well."
This is what I mean about attitude. It makes no difference what level of job, have a happy heart. The DMV window opened five minutes early with a cheery voice. It put a smile in my day and I returned the smile in kind. The ripple effect had started and would effect many more people through out the day.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Attitude
So what is it about attitude and how it relates to serving others. To me it is a core component of not only ones work but is an essential part of ones life. There are people that go through life constantly battling the belief that, "..if only others would treat me more nicely, then I could have a more positive attitude." These people always believe that others are the reason for their misery. And since others are to blame for their feeling this way, then they justify treating others just as poorly. It is these people we do not want in positions of customer service.
I myself would never say it is easy. My path to work leads me to a freeway and lots of merging cars and people including myself that should have left 5 minutes earlier. So road tension can be high especially when you couple that with the general belief of people that they are 'better drivers then the other person'. There is plenty of opportunity for someone to purposely or inadvertently cut you off or send you a signal. But how do you let it effect you?
At 7:30 in the morning, on the way to work, are you willing to let that other person set the tone of the day for you? Many people do and it isn't just that person checking people out in the big discount store (when there are twenty other closed check out lines) that allows it to effect them. It is also the person taking service calls over the phone, the bank teller handling your money and yes, the CEO on his or her way to an important meeting.
Attitude is a choice and your life can be changed by changing your attitude. Norman Vincent Peale said, "human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes." It can and does change lives. It can start on that morning drive to work. Try it some time when somebody 'wrongs' you on the road. Just smile and keep your hands firmly on the steering wheel. You may be surprised how it changes your day.
I myself would never say it is easy. My path to work leads me to a freeway and lots of merging cars and people including myself that should have left 5 minutes earlier. So road tension can be high especially when you couple that with the general belief of people that they are 'better drivers then the other person'. There is plenty of opportunity for someone to purposely or inadvertently cut you off or send you a signal. But how do you let it effect you?
At 7:30 in the morning, on the way to work, are you willing to let that other person set the tone of the day for you? Many people do and it isn't just that person checking people out in the big discount store (when there are twenty other closed check out lines) that allows it to effect them. It is also the person taking service calls over the phone, the bank teller handling your money and yes, the CEO on his or her way to an important meeting.
Attitude is a choice and your life can be changed by changing your attitude. Norman Vincent Peale said, "human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes." It can and does change lives. It can start on that morning drive to work. Try it some time when somebody 'wrongs' you on the road. Just smile and keep your hands firmly on the steering wheel. You may be surprised how it changes your day.
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