Today's guest blog post is by Kelly Swanson. Kelly
is an award-winning storyteller, comedian, motivational speaker, author
of Who Hijacked My Fairy Tale? and creator of Prides Hollow and the wacky
cast of southern characters who help you see beyond your obstacles, coach you
through stress and change, and help you get from where you are stuck to where
you want to be – laughing every step of the way.
Kelly left the world of professional storytelling to become a motivational speaker and comedian, where she was surprised to learn that her background as a professional storyteller would turn out to be her greatest asset as a speaker seeking to influence others.
I am constantly amazed at the power of stories – their ability to enrapture an audience, present a truth in a non-threatening way, and allow the attendee to experience the truth instead of just being told what to do. I am a firm believer that it’s not the relay of information that truly creates the magical experience – it’s the story. Stories show instead of tell. And whenever you can show your audience a new way it has far lasting results over telling them how they should live their lives. So, in this moment, I am simply going to show you the power of story versus the transfer of information.
Woman With A Mop
What a woman with a mop taught me about customer service,
employee value, and happiness.
Some sweet morning, when this day is over, I’ll fly away…
You could hear her singing all the way from the parking lot. Loud, staccato, jubilant notes of a life well lived. The automatic glass doors opened and I could see her standing there, holding her mop as if it were a beloved dance partner, as if her faded cotton dress were made of the finest silk.
I sat in the corner of the lobby, trying not to stare at this woman who was oblivious to everyone around her, as if it were the most normal thing in the world to be singing and twirling her way across the marbled floors of her hospital lobby, while the beeps of the monitors and the dings of the elevators sang to her in sweet harmony and I could smell the perfume of my changed perspective as I watched this woman turn her job into an art.
She didn't know I was in the restroom, close enough to hear her stop working to go pray for a stranger's wounded child. She didn't see me standing there watching her help that old man wrap the blanket tighter around his wife's shoulders. She didn't know I saw her give away her lunch. So many moments throughout that day, I watched as her songs, her smile, her very aura, affected everyone who crossed her path. I watched how in those cold unexpecting antiseptic corners of that hospital, pain found healing, sorrow found comfort, hopelessness found hope – all wrapped up in a faded cotton dress and comfortable shoes.
Some sweet morning, when this day is over, I’ll fly away…
You could hear her singing all the way to the parking lot when she went to meet her bus at dusk. I stood in front of that big glass window and watched her go, wishing she wouldn't - beside the large slick commercialized sign that hung beside me. It had no doubt been created by a group of marketing intellectuals, and the sign said "Excellence starts here." And I wondered if the CEO knew just how true that really was.
That day a woman with a mop showed me what it looks
like to serve - our customers – our patients – our co-workers – and our
communities. A woman who smelled of bleach and blessings reminded me that
happiness is a choice. And she showed me how every single role in an
organization is vital to the customer experience. You may be the only one they
see who represents your brand.
If a woman with a mop can sing like that - why can't we?