Like you, I suspect I’m a product of my raising.
My brother’s the funny one. My sister’s the creative one. My dad’s the quiet, humble, polite, brilliant one. My mom is the incredibly-thoughtful, rock-solid, dependable, caring glue that holds everything and everyone together.
I was blessed to inherit or learn a bit of each. I’m kind of like the meatloaf of the family.
Now, not to go all Sesame Street on you, but the three great gifts the Miles family gave me – fittingly – all start with the letter M.
MEMORY
For reasons passing understanding, we can all remember the most minute of details about our families events in the lives of others. While this makes for funny conversations around holiday tables, it’s an extremely valuable tool when growing and fostering relationships.
Struggle with it? Make an effort.
Do your best to remember things about people. Remember their children’s names. Remember birthdays. Notice when they get a haircut. Ask how their class is going.
These things matter.
The same is true of remembering the particular language of a particular kind of business. If you can speak to a business owner or a vendor in the language and vernacular of the business owner or vendor you have a greater degree of credibility.
(Please note this is the opposite of what you should do when writing copy for you should always talk to the customer in the language of the customer about what matters to the customer.)
MANNERS
I suspect there’s no greater gift … and nothing brings me more joy … than to watch my young children say “thank you,” “yes please,” “no thank you,” “yes, sir,” and “yes, ma’am,”
Have you been to an airport lately? You can witness exactly who had parents raise them with manners and who did not not. The seas part for those with manners – where a simple look of kindness and patience, a “thank you” or “take your time” moves mountains versus the whiny self-important jerk face who treats people rudely.
You learn so much about a person by how they treat others – most notably people who they perceive to be beneath them. The funny thing is is that treating others with respect takes exactly the same amount of time as treating others badly. Why not simply choose the former versus the latter?
THE THIRD ‘M’?
Monical’s Pizza, of course.
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