December 5, 2023
by Stephen T. Messenger
My daughter and her dog did everything together until she went to college as a freshman this fall. The week before Thanksgiving, she came home for the first time in three months.
She opened the door, and our dog ran to investigate. When he turned the corner and saw her, he stopped like he saw a ghost and then ran full speed at her. What followed next was one of the most heartwarming reunions I’ve ever seen.
Dogs know how to greet people and make them feel valued the moment they walk in the door. They create a culture of connection and valuing others through welcoming people upon arrival. Do you?
A Tale of Two Greetings
I generally do a good job of valuing people upon seeing them for the first time at work each day. In larger meetings, I like to be one of the first people there and shake everyone’s hands, asking them about their weekend or family. We chat for a few minutes and connect before work conversation starts. It’s a great way to set conditions for a cooperative meeting.
However, I’m not so great with my inner circle. I’ve found that I will easily walk into the office in the morning, and while I give a quick hello to everyone, I rarely stop and connect like when I’m out and about. I justify this by thinking we’re a bunch of busy professionals with a thousand things to do and jam-packed schedules. Every minute is valuable, and we see each other all the time.
Yet in the second example, I know I’m missing an opportunity to build teams and deepen working relationships. I can do better.
Why Greeting Everyone Well Matters
There are three reasons why this seemingly inconsequential concept matters.
1. It’s Your First Impression. Whether you see them hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly or you just met them, your initial greeting tells the other person a lot about you. Are you in a good mood today? Are you relaxed? Do you enjoy being at work and seeing that person?
Leaders should always try to give the impression of yes to those questions. Admittedly, the answer isn’t always yes, and that’s okay. But those in your organization need to see you generally in a positive mood, in control, and happy to be there. After all, they’re all looking at you thinking, “Do I want to be that person in that position someday?”
2. It Sets the Tone. Your greeting will set the environment on first contact. Your organization will typically follow the tone of the leader. If you’re lighthearted and joking, they will be too. If you’re serious and upset, their mood will shift to match yours.
You get to decide the tone and tenor of most rooms you enter. Think hard about the culture and atmosphere you’re trying to create, because the way you greet people sets that tone.
3. It Builds a Personal Brand. The way you greet people time after time shapes and refines your personal brand. As you excitedly greet people and show them you’re invested in both the organization and people alike, they’ll start to pick up on your brand.
This consistency will help them understand your personality, goals, and values, often through something as small as how you welcome people every engagement. This is a small and subtle effect, but trust me, people use this to assess how you lead, even if not consciously.
Quality Greetings Make People Feel Valued
When my daughter was much younger, she used to run to the door and jump on me every evening I got home. This simple act made me feel important in her life and built a special bond between us over time.
When I picked her up at the airport this Thanksgiving, she saw me, dropped her luggage, and ran up and jumped on me like she was five again. It was sweet… a little violent… and almost knocked me over. But I certainly knew she was excited to see me and the family.
Think about how you consistently greet people when you see them and the personal brand you’re creating. This small tweak helps develop your culture and personal brand.
Subscribe above to join The Maximum Standard community. We are looking for others to lead along with us, write about leadership, and improve organizations. Clicking above will place you on our weekly, free email distribution list – no ads, no fluff. Just leaders connecting with leaders. Join us!
The Maximum Standard 
Outstanding post Steve! How true this is! Those closest to us versus those we are meeting or introduced to. The comfort of those that are closest I believe, is the difference, however, it is something that we all should work to give the best of ourself in every interaction. It is difficult work, but something that we can strive to do. One step at a time, one day at a time! Thank you for your thoughts!
LikeLike
Ryan, totally agree with your statements about the “comfort” we have with people in our inner circle. Dare I say this heavily applies to our home lives as well. Sometimes we’re so close to our significant others (spouse, kids, closest friends) that we fail to treat them as the most important people in our lives, and take advantage of those relationships. I love your “one day at time.” So true!
LikeLike