What does your reaction say about you?

I was standing in a line in a coffee shop in Melbourne recently and the lady ahead of me was waiting patiently for her coffee. As the barista walked over to hand her two cups of coffee, he tripped and literally threw the coffee all over her. Everyone in the coffee shop stopped and stared in shock. What happened next was completely unexpected. 

The lady looked down at her coffee covered coat, she looked up at the mortified barista, and she burst out laughing. This was not the reaction any of us expected, least of all the barista. She just laughed and told the poor barista not to worry, she had a change of clothes at work, and accidents happen. 

I was so impressed with this lady and her reaction. Very few people would have responded in such an understanding way (her response was certainly a relief for the barista) and I made a point of telling her how great it was that she reacted so calmly. She smiled at me and said, “If that’s the worst thing that happens to me today, it will have been a pretty good day”. 

It made me think about the opposite kind of reaction. How many times during the day do we see people reacting badly to things not going how they want? On the roads, in shops, in business in general. And of course, sometimes getting frustrated and grumpy is the appropriate response when a business or an individual is not really doing the right thing. But not just in everyday situations that are not that significant. 

Think about how you react to situations on a daily basis. Do you tend to overreact? Do you respond in appropriate ways? Do you make mountains out of mole hills? And why even stop to reflect on something like this? 

I’ve written a lot about the importance of building your personal brand in the past months, something as seemingly simple as an overreaction to something not going your way and a subsequent outburst can do a lot of damage to your brand.

We need to be aware of the fact that our actions are always under scrutiny. Building our reputation not only comes from what we do, but also how we treat people. Making a point of treating everyone we meet with absolute respect, regardless of the position they hold, is an excellent way to build a great reputation. Treating people badly is an excellent way to destroy a reputation. 

If the lady I mentioned earlier was wearing a company uniform, her reaction to the coffee incident would have made me think much more of the business that she worked for, simply because she was such a great ambassador. 

We need to be aware of our own actions and reactions and we need
to be aware of the same with our team. They are reflections of our brand and our business overall. We need to make sure that everyone knows just how important their day to day actions and reactions are to not only our business and our brand, but also to them and their personal brand. 

So my question to you is simple, “How would you have reacted if someone poured two cups of coffee over you?”. The more conscious we are of our actions and reactions, and the more considered we are with those around us, the more positive benefits there are to not only our businesses but also our lives.

Andrew Griffiths is Australia’s #1 small business author. Each edition Andrew shares business insights with us in his own inspiring way.
For more visit www.andrewgriffiths.com.au