During a recent speech at a Prudential conference in Minneapolis, we spent some time talking about the value (and practice) of smiling. And I was thinking to myself, Am I beating a dead horse? Is the topic of smiling completely overdone?
No way.
This particular picture (thanks Ryan, those black & whites look great!), captured a moment when I introduced myself to someone in the audience. I shook his hand, offered my name and said, “Nice to meet you.”
…without smiling.
It was hard to keep a straight face! But in so doing I think the message was clear: if you don’t smile when you say “nice to meet you,” people won’t believe you.
Too many businesspeople STILL don’t get it: smiling is the number one indicator that conversation is desirable. What’s more, according to a 2004 CNN.com poll of 1,500 registered voters, “A smile is the leading indicator of a person’s approachability.”
But alas, common sense is not common practice. So, here are my tips:
LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Is smiling overdone or underused?
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Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That guy with the nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com
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