Choosing the Difference We Make
The other day, I was at the grocery store early on a weekday morning, on the hunt for organic raspberries.
I wandered around the produce section and found the shelves labeled “organic” —but still, no raspberries.
A gentleman in a black shirt and a name tag was stocking lettuce nearby.
“Excuse me,” I said, “Do you have organic raspberries?”
“Yes,” he said, “They're right over here.”
He walked me over to the front of the store, where they sat in a special section.
He stayed with me until he was sure we had found what I was looking for.
I thanked him.
He said, “Happy to help!”
And he really did seem happy to help.
He was friendly and kind, and instead of just telling me where the raspberries were located, he walked over with me, to be sure I could find them, and took a few extra minutes to explain the options.
He wasn't wearing air pods; he didn't hide when I approached; he was friendly and upbeat despite how early it was.
His reply reminded me of one of our amazing clients.
They often say, “It's an honor” to patients and their families, and they mean it.
Whether we're finding the organic raspberries, or caring for patients, or launching a new piece of custom software, we, too, often have the opportunity to set the tone for someone else's day. We might do this (intentionally, or unintentionally) through the tone of our email, by saying Good Morning, or perhaps simply by saying, “Happy to help,” and meaning it.
In the words of Jane Goodall, "What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make".
Reflections
What is our team's equivalent of, “happy to help?”
What small moments of connection have I experienced recently?
What kind of difference do I hope to make?
