I�m running late for work because I forgot to put the garbage cans away from yesterday�s garbage pickup. I notice I�m not the only one, though. My neighbor is doing the same; she smiles a commiserating smile and I nod back. Need coffee, so I stop for my fave, and the line at the coffee shop is long. I get impatient, but understand it�s fully my fault (how evolved, I think, taking ownership for my own actions � a wrinkle in my brain). I accidentally give the counter clerk the wrong change and she yells after me as I�m running out the door. I don�t have the correct change and end up having to break a $20 bill for a cup of coffee. I make it to work about 10 minutes late (not bad, considering), I come into work and walk by the receptionist into my work area. I see my manager is in her office and hope she won�t get on my case for being 10 minutes tardy. The phone rings.
I�m only 30 minutes into my work day and I�ve already interacted with half a dozen people (the last one's on hold). Or, more precisely, should I say non-interacted.
You see, non-interacting means I hardly nodded at my neighbor while we worked on an identical task, and didn�t say a word to the person behind or ahead of me waiting in line for coffee. Not to mention that I don�t know the name of the counter girl who�s been pouring my coffee for the last three months and did I even see a receptionist at the receptionist area? And avoiding my manager is a classic case of non-interacting.
Tomorrow I promise I'll avoid the non-interacting mindset.....what perspective will help me do that? What stops me from giving it my focus?
A 21st century perspective: interaction starts at the next opportunity. If not then, when?
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