Let 'em know you were there

Let ‘em know you were there

My good friend, Brady Sadler (we interned together at the Mothership several years ago), coined this phrase in the context of leaving a nice tip for a bartender, server, housekeeper, bellman, or valet attendant.   

We always used to say, “let’s let em know we were here” when it came time to pay the bill and leave the tip…we still do.

We can apply the same concept in our daily routines at work, at home, our social life, and anytime we interact with others.  OneMoreStep thought for this week: Let ‘em know you were there…in a good way.

What will they say about us when we’re gone?  How will we be remembered?  When we walk out of the room, will people be relieved or will they be left wanting more of whatever we have to offer?  Will they smile or frown?  Will they be in a better mood or annoyed?

Leave ‘em feeling great

When we’re talking to people…a friend, coworker, student, or a boss…rather than merely going through the motions to just get through the conversation, we should go OneMoreStep, and actively aim to make them feel great.  What if we actively sought out ways to genuinely make the other person feel great about him or herself, an opportunity for growth, or maybe just life in general?  Think of the impact.  What a great way to touch people and let ‘em know you were there.

Leave ‘em with a smile

Work gets to be a grind.  Life gets tedious.  Relationship ups and downs take their toll on people.  Finances get stressful.  Everybody deals with burdens…so everybody could use a smile here and there.  I’ve never heard anyone say that they wish they could smile less.  Have you?  So in our everyday routines, why not take ordinary interactions and turn them into genuine connections.  We should find ways to truly connect with others…give them a compliment, ask them about their children, tell them how much you value them…simple gestures...easily woven into conversations...leaves ‘em with a smile.

Leave ‘em feeling motivated

People love to talk about how much is on their plate, how much work they have to do, and just how overwhelmed they are.  We have two choices…we can join in the complaining session OR we can help shed light on the positives in the situation.  How cool would it be to be known as the one teammate, friend, or family member that people always turned to for motivation?  We should think about ways in which we can leave people feeling motivated.  Not everyone will do this; so very seldom will people feel this.  When we do it...when we go OneMoreStep to leave others feeling motivated, they will most certainly remember it and definitely appreciate it.  

Let ‘em know you were there this week…not because you want to leave a great impression, but instead because you can truly make a positive impact on people’s lives.  How can you serve somebody?  How can you lead somebody?  How can you brighten a day, a week, or a situation for somebody?  

People have thousands of interactions and conversations each day.  The conversations that make them feel great about themselves or a situation, make them smile, and leave them feeling motivated will be the very conversations that turn bad days into good ones.  Why can’t we be the ones that make the difference?  Why can’t we be the ones to make the impact?  We can…and we will…we'll let ‘em know we were there…

Have a great day.

Taylor