Often when we greet people that we encounter during our daily activities, we say something like, “Hi, how are things going?” They may respond with something like, “Fine.” “Great!” or, “Not bad.” And that’s the end of it. Now, if you want to get the most out of your greetings, when the other person tells how they are doing, take the extra moment say something that begs a response like, “Oh really.” “Tell me more.” or, “I’m sorry to hear that?” Doing this sends that person a convincing message that that you care about them which most people love to hear. As a result, you’ve not only brightened the entire rest of their day, but they’re not likely to forget about you anytime soon. For example, I was in a check-out line in a crowded Safeway supermarket near Lake Tahoe recently and I asked the checker how her day was going. She responded with, “Not very well.” Then I said, “I’m very sorry to hear that.” She went on, “A wildfire is threatening our home.” I then told her that I would pray for her and her family.” She came back with, “Thanks Ross, that means a lot,” (she had read my name when I swiped my Safeway Club Card). The next day, I went back to that same store and got into her check-out line. When she started to check-out my groceries, she said, “Things are much better today Ross. We are going to get through this. Thank you for caring.” The lesson here is that when you take the extra moment to show you care, people will remember who you are.
