Keep it real. If you feel grumpy, let it show.
Negative Ned Says…
“You think I ought to be all excited about this work? To me, it’s just a paycheck. Isn’t it enough that I do my job? I don’t have to act like I like it, do I? I’m not going to jump up and down all day. I’ll get to your problem when I get to it. And don’t expect me to offer you help to find a dress for your daughter’s rehearsal dinner or to tell you I think your car looks cool with the new tailpipes we sold you. I’m not paid enough for that!”
Positive Paul Says…
“When you deeply care about something, it’s easy to create enthusiasm about it. And if you truly care about your customers and the products and services you represent, it will be easy to please your customers and go the extra mile.
Enthusiasm creates an overall feeling of happiness and well-being. Enthusiasm is a skill, just like everything else. It’s a feeling of excitement and confidence about what you’re selling.”
Part of creating enthusiasm is to physically act with joy. For example, smile, stand up straight, and use animated body language. Put a little more bounce in your step. Acting enthusiastically makes you feel enthusiastic. And when customers see that, they also become more positive.
Just as your attitude is contagious, so is your level of enthusiasm. Imagine a workplace where everyone is enthusiastic. Sounds fun to me. Did you know you can have fun and be productive at the same time? What a concept!”
A Real World Example
Have you ever gone somewhere new where you held no expectations about customer service, then were pleasantly surprised by it? My husband went to a Denny’s restaurant for breakfast one day in an unfamiliar area of town. He was hungry and didn’t expect either the service or the food to be any good. When he sat down at the counter, he was greeted by a friendly waitress. While waiting for his meal, he noticed the manager happily cleaning tables, whistling the entire time. When my husband’s food arrived, the manager looked at the food and then at my husband and exclaimed, “Wow! That looks good. Enjoy!” My husband was amazed to see his level of enthusiasm and even looked around to see if there was a TV crew videotaping. But it wasn’t an act. It was real. My husband loved watching the staff work with such joy and energy. This manager was consistently enthusiastic with everyone, including his workers, and it showed in the attitude of his workers and his customers. My husband returned often because it started his day with a pleasant experience.
Moral to the story: It’s okay to whistle while you work!
Strategies to Turn This Around
Be enthusiastic.
- Believe in yourself, your company, and your products and services.
- Act enthusiastic.
- Have fun!
Remember: You can have fun and be productive at the same time!
“For every sale you miss because you’re too enthusiastic, you will miss a hundred because you’re not enthusiastic enough.”
— Zig Ziglar
© 2012 by Barbara Khozam Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this message may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without written permission of the publisher.