Thursday, October 22, 2009

Toll House Greatness?

Walk into the Toll House hotel in Los Gatos, California and you feel like you are home. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. It is plush without being ostentatious. Yet more than the appointments what creates the warm feeling is the staff. Without being unctuous they solicit how you are doing and respond in a very warm and comfortable way. More impressive is the energy of the staff. They approach everything with amazing vibrancy from checking customers in to carrying baggage to welcoming and serving in the restaurant. And they interact with each other in the same energized way.

Each day we have an opportunity to engage with any number of people. How are we engaging? Energy and vibrancy are more of a choice than a physical state. So many of my daily encounters are with people devoid of energy and vibrancy and more akin to boredom. And, after encountering the staff at the Toll House, I challenge myself to approach my day with that powerful energy.

Let's face it. Facing a day with positive energy and vibrancy is a choice. What do you choose?