“Smile an everlasting smile, a smile can bring you near to me.” (Barry, Maurice, & Robin Gibbs 1967)
Here in New Jersey and across the Carnegie Nation, there is nothing more powerful than a simple smile. In the classic best seller, How to Win Friends and Influence People, Section Two, Chapter Two, A Simple Way to Make a Good First Impression; it does not take very long for Dale Carnegie to discuss the power of a smile and what it does within a relationship. A captivating smile indeed brings out charm, likeability and personality in every situation.
In networking opportunities, meetings, work sessions, and informal gatherings, those with the biggest smiles will often get the most attention. Yet, something as simple as a smile can often take practice. We all have days when we just do not “feel it”. A smile has to be real and not artificial to be effective. Here are some powerful factors of a smile:
Strategic: A smile can often stop both argument and conflict if placed at the right moment. As we head into the morning meeting and enter the room, it is time to smile as well.
Memorable: We all know someone personally who has that great smile. It is easy to recall that politician or that actor who has that “smile and a half”; we do not forget wonderful smiles.
Instant: A smile can change the climate of a situation in a split second. First impressions are immediate and often long lasting with the use of a smile.
Likeable: Everyone loves a smile. There is credibility in it and a certain enjoyment to watch a room full of smiles. Some of our greatest memories involve weddings and birthday parties where there are smiles galore.
Energetic: When someone smiles, there is a dynamic that builds partnering and relationship to teams and organizations. Passion and intensity along with support and commitment often come with smiles and commonality.
Mr. Carnegie and the Gibbs brothers have it right. An organization is a whole lot better of when it is filled with smiles.
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Photo Credit: guardian.co.uk