This week I'm wrapping up a list of 10 People I Want on My Guest Services Team. If you've been muttering under your breath, "Waltz is never going to finish this list" or "I hope this list gets better; I'd like to use some of this if it's any good", you probably don't qualify to be on my Guest Services team. That is, if the complaining is reflective of a life-lens you use to view people and events around you.
#7 on my list of most-wanted is:
- Optimists: people who see the glass as more than half full
Or to put it another way, people who see the best in life, people and general circumstances. You've experienced the opposite. You've encountered the pessimist in the grocery story check-out.
- "Only another hour, and I'm outta here!"
- "They (the management, fellow employees, the gods) are never around when you need them."
- No eye contact, no expression, no greeting, hardly a good-bye.
Optimists not only refrain from negative comments about the world as they see it, they take great joy in finding things to celebrate.
- "Did you see the sunrise this morning (it's been raining since 7:30)?"
- "That's a great color on you (they're color-blind and you're wearing black)."
- "It's going to work out just fine (about nearly anything)."
Okay, maybe the optimism can be over the top, but you get my point. People who are looking for the best in people, in their day, in their world are people who weigh in with Paul. Remember his letter to the Philippians?
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious--the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. (Philippians 4.8, the Message)
Optimists are contagious, but then, so are pessimists. Choose well. How your team and guests are influenced depends on your willingness to invite appropriately wired people onto your guest services teams.
Fill that glass full.
