On which side of the coin are you?

You may all know the saying that goes "there are two sides to every coin", and it is usually true.

The coin that I want to refer to today is a very tricky one, and it has to do with our ability to catch people doing things.

If when I said "Catch people" you thought about people making mistakes or embarrasing things, you are on one side of the coin. If you thought about making sure that any good action didn't go without recognition, then you belong to the other side.

The story I wanted to share with you, has many little stories inside, and it goes like this...

About 3 or 4 months back, I heard this advice "live your life looking to catch people doing things right, and let them know". I heard it on an Audiobook with three great mentors, Eric Worre, Randy Gage and Randy Schroeder.

When I heard that advice, I realize that either by genetics or by natural selection or for whatever reason, we as kids have a tremendous ability to catch people doing things wrong and then embarrasing them for it. We as kids are cruel!!! and for some reason we grow up, but that ability stays with us. Making fun of how people dress, how they walk, talk, etc. We all know those situations.

And when we stumble upon someone who actually does things right, we then say, "Well that's his/her job". Which may be true, but Wouldn't you love that people recognize you when you did "your job" right? Doesn't it feel good when they do?

Well, to continue my story, I tried to keep myself aware of this, and everytime I found someone doing things right, I told them so. Whether a waiter (tress), a steward/ess, mechanic, work colleague, you name it.

By doing so, I found out two very interesting things from this exercise: 1. People really love it! and they remember you by it, my dad did it to the lady that serves coffee at the local coffee shop, and at the following encounter, when the lady saw my dad, her eyes brightened and she did the best she could to serve "an even better" coffee this time. I did it to the lady that washes my hair at the barber shop, and now she really tries to give me a pleasant experience.

But number 2. is really something to reflect upon. All the people that I complimented, DID NOT EXPECT IT!, they were surprised to hear it, and this speaks volumes to how we interact with people everyday.

My challenge to you?, quit that ability to catch people doing things wrong, and jump to the other side of the coin, and make sure not a day goes by, that you don't let people know when they did things right. You can't go wrong! People will like you better, give you a better service and very likely, will let YOU know when you are doing things right as well.

Think about it and share your ideas. can't wait to read what you have to say!

Have a wonderful week!
Till friday

Federico Ruiz