I took this photo shortly after noon on Monday. Without any explanation, what do you know just by looking at it?
You know it’s a cloudy, rainy, dark, dreary kind of day. You might think to yourself, “Maybe today is not a good day to go out for lunch, so I don’t have to experience the weather firsthand.” In fact, if you could, you might want to stay far away from the stormy weather and not go outside at all until it’s a nice and sunny.
Now think about this: When a co-worker first sees you, what does your facial expression tell them? Before you ever say a word, what do team members know just by looking at you?
Do they know you’re having a bad day by your furrowed brow, narrow eyes, set jaw or frowning mouth? Do they think to themselves, “Maybe today is not a good day to talk to my supervisor.” Might they even be thinking that they should just stay away from you altogether until you look a little happier?
What is your face forecasting to your team members? Sunshine and warmth? Or, darkness and storm clouds?
Tuesday Tidbits are weekly messages I have been sending to my leadership team for about five years. They are generally short & sweet, often focused on leadership or teamwork, always positive and hopefully, motivational. A co-worker recently suggested the Tuesday Tidbit was blog-worthy. I hope you find some meaning in them.