tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082226991800167507.post8475694602215807280..comments2023-12-08T03:29:25.202-05:00Comments on Adult Literacy @ VCU: Why not smile?Susan Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03203951366654414340noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082226991800167507.post-32254775239246009992013-03-15T05:20:47.247-04:002013-03-15T05:20:47.247-04:00I have to comment on this one. I watch how people ...I have to comment on this one. I watch how people smile because of the family dynamics. My son stopped giving genuine smiles when he was about ten; his smiles look like smirks now, because he doesn't have the feelings he once had. I smile a lot, in part becaue I find things pleasing, in part from nerves, and in part because I learned years ago that a smile covers a scar I have on my face from being hit by a golf club. My oldest daughter doesn't smile much, but my second daughter does. After doing the reading, I thought about the smiles I see when we travel, which we do quite a bit. I smile in class because it puts students at ease, but I consciously watch when and how much I smile. Isn't it interesting how much can be behind a smile? Joyce M.cpscathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00269967223534383786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082226991800167507.post-56883925633822264772013-02-10T17:04:59.425-05:002013-02-10T17:04:59.425-05:00Thanks for your post, Lisa! Raising questions like...Thanks for your post, Lisa! Raising questions like "what's so bad aboutg smiling" is a great device for trying out a perspective and see where it goes. Both you and Susan provide good answers. I agree that while we all want to work in a positive workplace culture, there's a big difference between telling people which facial muscles to tense and which to relax (i.e., to smile) and asking them to act friendly. The latter approach seems to respect the workers' integrity and their capacity to judge how to convey interpersonal messages based on the situation and context. Remind me to share some interesting ideas from Holly's book "If Disney Ran Your Hospital" on Tuesday... Bill Muthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12295192908023335854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082226991800167507.post-32119209106758844852013-02-10T13:20:28.830-05:002013-02-10T13:20:28.830-05:00Hi Lisa - I was drawn to your post b/c of smiling ...Hi Lisa - I was drawn to your post b/c of smiling :)<br />The weird smile patrol/pics at Urban Hotel were disturbing; an insincere smile is an oxymoron. I was drawn to the push/pull idea on p. 230; how pushing something employees without taking into consideration their knowledge, background, and skills (smile mandates, static training documents, etc) is usually not going to yield the most desirable results. On the other hand, pulling ideas from employees about their needs, questions, and ideas is a better approach. It begs that question, how do we know what they know and need? Back to smiling, we know it is not a universal gesture. If employees from different cultures (housekeepers?) were being asked to look at customers and smile, this could be asking them to cross boundaries they may not feel comfortable crossing, not to mention the threat of smile-nazi on the look out for frowns!Susan Watsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03203951366654414340noreply@blogger.com