I love iced tea; it is one of my favorite drinks in the summer time. I know which of the fast food restaurants carry the good stuff and which don't, and by "good" stuff, I am referring to that which is freshly brewed, versus the artificial, premixed liquid that comes out of a dispenser, like the carbonated drinks.
When I am out and about during the day, I often pop into a fast food drive-thru for some iced tea, and even though the chain of restaurants (or even that particular restaurant) has had the good stuff in the past, I always ask if they have "real iced tea" when I order, just in case something has changed. Over the years, I have been met with a variety of responses, everything from a "huh?" to an incoherent mumble and an outright lie.
Today, I received the best response to my inquiry: "Absolutely!" Not only did the young woman on the other end of the speaker understand what I was asking, but she replied with such a smile and enthusiasm in her voice that it brought an answering smile to my face.
We shared a brief conversation as I paid for my "good" iced tea and as I drove off, I thought about what a simple thing it is to answer a question for someone ... but also what a difference the manner in which you respond can have. Sometimes it can make even more of an impact than the answer itself.
|
|
Remember...
When interacting with others, so much of what we are feeling comes through our body language, facial expression, intonation and the words we choose. When you help someone with a question, are you really stopping to hear what they are saying and responding accordingly, or are you just giving an answer to be done with it?
How do you feel when you have been of help to someone ... and how might that person feel as they walk away from you?
|
