#5 Say Hi and Bye
When you enter a room and it’s appropriate given the context and number of people present, greet people by name. When you leave their presence, say goodbye. Not saying hi and/or bye, runs the risk of giving someone the impression that you are indifferent to them. (This practice reflects the Connection Culture element of Value.)
This is the fifth post in our series entitled “100 Ways to Connect.” The series highlights attitudes and behaviors that help you connect with others. Although the attitudes and behaviors focus on application in the workplace, you will see that they also apply to your relationships at home and in the community.
Update: Howard Behar, former President of Starbucks North America and Starbucks International, and I co-authored an article entitled “Leadership Myopia” that appears in the August edition of Leadership Excellence alongside articles by well known leadership experts Gary Hamel, Marshall Goldsmith and Patrick Lencioni. On October 10, I will give a keynote speech at the Retailing Summit held in Dallas, Texas. The Retailing Summit is a premiere event for senior leaders in retail. This year’s conference includes Karen Katz, President and CEO of Nieman Marcus, Maxine Clark, Founder of Build-a-Bear Workshop, Duncan Mac Naughtan, EVP, Chief Merchandising & Marketing Officer for Wal-Mart U.S. and Graham Atkinson, CMO & Chief Experience Officer of Walgreens.