Treating each other humanly.
Recently I had the honor of giving a TEDx talk on just this topic. (More on this topic and event in the coming months.) We can be more courteous to each other. It doesn't take that much effort.
This morning I went to get some medical tests. As I handed the receiving technician my intake materials she saw my insurance card and said, "Yeah, they won't cover these tests." Silence.
I had called my insurance company just last week to check if they would pay for tests at
this facility. They said yes. Facility says no, no way, not today. Or that's how I heard it.
Say the most important thing first.
I could have taken the bitter pill of having wasted my time if she had simply started with some version of, "I'm sorry you came all the way here without knowing your insurance wouldn't pay for these tests." I don't mind being told the facts, but timing is everything.
Putting the human back into human resources.
That was the title of my TEDx talk. I could have spoken about that part of organizations that handles the people stuff, but the focus of my talk was how we can treat each other more humanly as we interact, especially in the course of our daily jobs, no matter who is in what role.
Will you join me in this humble endeavor to make someone's day better simply by being mindful of what you choose to say first? Try it and see what happens.
Image of girls laughing: BigStockPhoto
