My 97 year-old Grandma can do 2016…
How to bring 1919 back into the art of impressions.
I received an unexpected call on my cell from my 97 year-old Grandma. She’s never called me on my cell. She rang just to thank me for the hand written notes she received from my boys for their Christmas thank yous. Yes, she called to say thank you for the thank yous. She was clearly touched at the thoughtfulness. She also thought my New Year’s card was lovely and enjoyed the pictures of our family and put it in her photo album. Queue the awes now.
Mind you, her successful connection with me was after she tried to call my now re-purposed landline, now a fax line (Who faxes anymore anyway?). Try explaining what a fax machine is, let alone the noise it made, to a 97 year-old progressive. But, I digress. After getting the odd beepbopscreetch greeting of the fax, she called my aunt in New Jersey, who called my father 16 states away to double check the number. It was that important to her to tell us we made her feel great. That our effort mattered. After talking about her home break-in (where she was more upset about disheveled papers and the dirt all about than the $400 they gained) and her hopes that the next storm stays clear of Jersey, we said our good byes. I was touched but resumed a quick work email check before signing off for the night.
I received an email from a client voicing his disappointment about a candidate’s noticeably absent thank you note after flying her out for interviews. The candidate is actually going to get an offer from said client. However, the leader was bothered by the lack of follow up. Surely, my candidates—seasoned, smart, high EQ & well versed in the social protocol of 2016–would fire off a quick thank you. Surely, I need not remind nor coach them of this final cherry on top of the impression they made?
Click. Rewind to 5 minutes prior. I made my Grandma’s night. Maybe her week. Frankly, it might have been the highlight of the month. Simply by “making” my kids thank their GiGi for her Christmas present to them, they touched her. They spoke her language of gratitude and genuine gratefulness. Should I mention the Christmas present was a taped $5 bill? Old people are so cute.
It occurred to me…If a 97 year-old can call a mobile, tracked down through 2 other people 1659 miles apart, after reaching the robot salutation of a fax greeting, then the digitally empowered can drop a hand written note as a throw back to 1919. Or, wield the proverbial pen, a la keyboard style. The impression to her and to others is the same…. People matter, as does their time.
So, let’s take a second in the hustle bustle of each day and think, Do you do 1919 as well as my Grandma does 2016?
*Disclaimer: Of course, the request of my angelic offspring to complete said altruistic thank you note gesture is always met with an eagerness that fills the heart. The struggle is real.
About T Squared:
T Squared provides organizations with high caliber sales, marketing and general management professionals on a national search, interim staffing and pipeline management basis. The firm was founded in 2009 with headquarters in Denver, CO. For more information, visit www.Tsquaredgroup.com or tweet with us Twitter.com/tsquaredgroup