Something amazing happened at lunch today!
I ate at the Dairy Queen at Loop 323 and East Fifth Street in Tyler, Texas, and I have to tell you what I saw happen. I’ve been intending to write the owner of that particular Dairy Queen for some time to tell him how friendly and professional the staff members at that store are, but things kept coming up that interrupted my plans to contact him.
Today, though, something happened that stopped me in my tracks and made me know that I HAD to write him. (By the way, the level of detail in this is going to make you think I’m a stalker. I’m not. Remember, I’ve worked as a journalist and a cop … in other words, “double-trained observer.”)
The lunch rush today was crazy. I didn’t get there until about 1:15 and the restaurant was still covered up. Things had gotten back to “after lunch normal” by about 1:45 and one of the employees, Jennifer (I believe that was her name), was sweeping out from under tables. As she passed by my table, she asked if everything was okay. I was finished with my food and she asked if I wanted dessert. I declined and she asked me to let her know if I needed anything and then moved to another table.
Just a few seconds later, another of the employees, Brad, spoke to Jennifer. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but it appeared that he was asking her to do something or reminding her of something that needed to be done. She said, “yes” or “yes, sir” or something to that effect and Brad thanked her and walked away.
As Brad was walking away, Jennifer’s hair fell into her face, which I could tell frustrated her. She blew it out of her face.
Remember, I used to be a cop and I also worked in secular media for quite a while before I got into Christian radio. I’ve worked for dozens of supervisors who would have responded to that sound by assuming that Jennifer was “sighing” about what they had said to her, and “torn into her” or said, “I need to see you in my office” or something like that.
But, what Brad did was exactly the opposite … and completely amazing.
‘It’s okay. You’re doing a great job!’
He turned around and, loud enough for everyone in the restaurant to hear said in a very kind tone, “Jennifer, it’s okay. You’re doing a great job!”
Her face was beaming and, to be honest with you, I was about to cry I was so happy for her. It’s one thing for the employees to be nice to “us customers.” That’s their job. But Brad could have ignored the sound Jennifer made. Or he could have responded to it negatively. He CHOSE to take the opportunity to praise his co-worker and encourage her IN FRONT OF THE CUSTOMERS. That is – if you’ll forgive me borrowing from the credit card commercial – priceless!
And, it was a great reminder to me that we should never miss the chance to “encourage one another and build each other up.” I Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV 1984)
So, be encouraged! 🙂