The Contented Cow Blog

Building Workplaces That Work

Last week I had the pleasure of being on a Comair flight manned by a flight attendant by the name of Eric. It was immediately obvious upon boarding that this flight was going to be different, in a positive way. With a smile and a wisecrack about the plane’s designers, he reminded me upon boarding of the low door clearance so I wouldn’t bump my head. A few minutes later, with a half empty aircraft (a rare luxury on a regional jet), he invited passengers to spread out if they wished to do so. A couple of minutes before pushback he repeated the offer to spread out, adding jokingly that those who hadn’t heeded his previous offer would now have to pay a $25 fee for the right to do so.

It wasn’t so much that we had a frustrated comic for a flight attendant, but rather, a guy who seemed to be doing his best to brighten his day and the day of those around him. Somewhere between Cincinnati and Charleston, WV, I asked him about the shtick. “I want to become a pilot,” he said, adding that the Comair gig allows him to attend flight school, and get his foot in the door within the industry. Then, he added, “But for now, I try every day not to let my work become a job.” I - try - not - to - let - my - work - become - a - job… Let that sink in for a moment.

My guess is that Eric would agree with former U.S. President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, who said, “Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds.” How many people do you know who go through life being prisoners of their own minds, preferring, unlike Eric, to see the dark side of just about everything? More importantly, how often do you and I fall into the same trap, allowing cynicism to overcome our good nature? Indeed, my granddaughter has been asked to call me “Grumpy” as something of a reminder of what I don’t want to become. I have also asked a few people close to me to gently (or not so) remind me whenever they notice that my smiles/frowns ratio seems to be getting out of whack. Sometimes it works, and sometimes I need to do better.

Regardless of what techniques or reminders we employ, it is important, especially for those of us who have accepted the mantle of leadership to remember that, in our increasingly uptight world, people simply will not follow, let alone go the extra mile for someone who lacks a generous dose of optimism… someone who sees their work as nothing more than a job.

A thought leader in the areas of leadership and employee engagement, Bill Catlette is a seminar leader, keynote speaker, and executive coach. He helps individuals and organizations improve business outcomes by having a focused, engaged, capably led workforce. For more information about Bill, his partner Richard, and their work, please visit their website at www.contentedcows.com

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