Your “Give a Darn” Meter

Ever lose your “Give a Darn”? Wonder where to find your staff’s, your husband’s, or your waiter’s “Give a Darn”?

I tell you, this might be the most significant “aha” of the month for me. There’s a great quote that goes like this: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Give a Darn

I think that quote speaks to “Giving a darn.” We’ve all walked up to a counter or looked for a service person only to be given that snarky ‘I’ll get to you when I can’ attitude. Or worse, you get the feeling you’re bothering them. Those folks don’t give a darn! I often wonder why people who are miserable at their job keep working at that job. I guess it’s not that easy except that if you give a darn, I’ve found that misery usually takes a back seat to the job at hand.

Listen, I think caring about what you do and how you serve others creates a way to enjoy your job, your family, your friends, and your life. I guess that sounds pretty grandiose but honestly if you can’t care if you can’t find a way to “give a darn,” why bother? Do something else!

Can it be that simple? I think so. Here are two really easy examples. If the redemption counter employee’s “give a darn” is high, then the counter is always stocked. There’s never any concern that things will look bare. If the folks who work in the sales office genuinely operate in a high “give a darn” zone, then they automatically pick up the phone and say, “Thank you for calling. This is Beth. How may I serve you?” AND they mean it! It’s easy. It’s natural. It’s fun.

When Things Matter

When things matter, and you really care about why, what, and how you do what you do, it’s easy to enjoy your work, your family, your friends, and your life!

Make it a great week and hey, think about how to get your “give a darn” in the red zone!