As this employee retention speaker and employee retention trainer goes to various events, I get to interact with a lot of people. I always make it a point to get to learn about the people in the hotels I stay in be it the housekeepers, wait staff or bartenders. I just love talking to these folks and learning about them including what they like about their jobs, how they came to be in the role they are in and if they plan on sticking around. Two things become readily apparent as I speak with them. Those two things are 1) Very few people ever ask them the things I ask them and 2) Very few people show them that they care, respect them and what they do and give them much appreciation or praise.
For instance, I just got done talking with our cabin steward on the cruise that my wife and I are on. As Jose and I spoke, I realize that not a lot of people talk to the stewards. It’s almost as if they are “invisible” to the people they take care of. I find that sad as well as wrong. These folks are people with families, loved ones and dreams and aspirations in life. My hope is that they are not invisible to their boss and their employers. These “invisible” people deserve to be given C.R.A.P. (Caring, Respect, Appreciation and Praise) just like anyone else.
I once heard Zig Ziglar talk about how he would go into a place and go into action if people didn’t show enthusiasm and excitement about their job. He would do everything he could to show people that it was important to be enthusiastic and made it his mission to get people to be “fired up” about what they were doing. I feel the same way about spreading around C.R.A.P. (Caring, Respect, Appreciation and Praise). My mission is to give everyone that I interact with C.R.A.P.! Not only do people love it and respond with better service, I can tell they feel good about getting C.R.A.P.! And guess what, giving people C.R.A.P. makes me feel good as well!
So, when you are out and about and interacting with people who are providing you with service at any place you go, give them C.R.A.P. My goal is to start a “movement of C.R.A.P.” all over the place. Show people that you care about them as people and respect them as human beings. Also, make sure you tell them you appreciate what they do and when they give you great service, praise them for that. If we all start to spread the C.R.A.P. around, we will have a lot more happy and productive people.
I will guarantee you…if you give everyone C.R.A.P. that you meet, you will get C.R.A.P. in return. It builds with just a little bit of a start. People feel better, are more positive, smile a bit more, are kinder and a exhibit a whole host of other positive behaviors. Try it. See if I am right or wrong and drop me a note on LinkedIn. The time is NOW to start to give everyone C.R.A.P.!
