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.

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