My wife and I went to have our bloodwork done at the medical center where we would follow up with our annual health check. Something had changed. There were five people (who opened the garage door-type window). Instead of saying “Good morning ” to all the people who were standing there with numbers in their hand, they started to bark out numbers so that people would come up in the order they arrived.
The people who were in this department used to be very friendly. They set a positive, warm tone from the beginning and made people smile, laugh, and seemingly enjoy the experience.
I think I see how he tone of the entire department changed. The last time I was there I had a new man do my blood work. He had this frantic, negative tone that made you on edge all the while he took your blood. There was just nothing warm and friendly about what he did.
I think that little by little, the others have followed his manner and become just the type of people we don’t want to deal with in a medical setting.
The result is this: When you have someone who doesn’t set a very positive tone, you don’t feel like being very conversational with them. You just want them to do their job so you can leave.
The one who was positive, though, kept cycling through people who were happy and smiling when they left.
QUESTIONSTO ASK YOURSELF ABOUT YOU AND YOUR TEAM
1. How is your tone?
2. Do you set a good one?
3. How about all the people in your organization?
4. What type of tone do they set?
5. Has the tone changed?
What could you say to turn things around and make them right again?