We often talk about how Co-ops are an alternative economic model impacting the world. How we offer a change and a different way to function in this world. How we can have a profound effect on the way business is done and therefore how life is lived<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That’s cool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What I want to talk about this month though is how as front-facing, public service workers we can have a profound effect and touch individual lives all throughout our days on the sales floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I want to share with you a conversation I had with a good friend recently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They deeply shared with me that during a very dark and lonely time of their life, the only contact they had with other human beings was the cashiers and clerks at the local co-op where they lived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They told me that a smile, a warm word, and a friendly acknowledgement from one of the staff was the only bright spot in their lives at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The only bright spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was a moving testimony. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
How these often-brief interactions were what seemed to keep them going in life and when they were lucky to have a bit of conversation, they cherished it, feeling the warmth of another individual who for a moment seemed to enjoy their company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the time of their misery, my friend said, these clerks and especially cashiers became the most important people in their life, and they depended on seeing them just to keep their life livable, and somewhat normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They told me their life moved forward into friendship and family and things got better with time and effort. They moved out of those dark times; however, those clerks and cashiers will always be remembered as a true, solid, rock which they depended on in the history of their emotional life and how thankful they were that they were there back then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was a time of need, and it was filled with simple, hard-working people who in mundane moments were having a profound impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
End of story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here’s my pitch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think if we take stock and slow down and really evaluate, we will notice something of incredible value in our day-to-day working, if we choose to see it and acknowledge it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We should never undervalue what we do. We, just doing our job in a pleasant open-hearted way, might make a critical difference in someone’s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Being a front-facing service worker is where the true and real magic can happen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Face to face, eye to eye, heart to heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We’re fortunate. We have opportunities to make profound impacts with just a smile and a hello. <\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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