Skip to main content

Trust, Caring and Kindness in a Small Florida Town



Trust and Honor in a Small Florida Town

After years in the business and corporate world it is easy to become hardened and distrustful; very cautious at a minimum. We wrap ourselves in layers of litigious toilet paper.
Its seems as though even the most minor decision we make must to go through a "what if" process. What if it offends, what if it leads to a law suit, what if, what if, what if ? We have been conditioned by our experiences to believe most people are out to get us.

Hmmm? Wait a minute !

On a recent consulting engagement I found a town with the most honest, genuine, caring and giving people I have seen since my childhood. Imagine a physician wanting to give (free) flu shots to the residents of a local assisted living community or a company only charging you half of the $5,000 bill because they understand how the economy has affected you.  Imagine an artist who creates all day everyday, only to give her work away. While standing in line at the local grocery store I repeatedly witnessed good Samaritans pay the bill for those in front of them when they realized the person didn't have enough money to pay for everything in their cart. I asked one of the good Samaritans why they did such a wonderful thing. Their response "I made a committment to do something good for someone everyday".  A random act of kindness is powerful.

When was the last time, a store clerk said "its OK, just pay the next time you come in" ?  Or have a news paper reporter tell you about all the "good" stories they are working on. I can keep going but don't want to disclose the location for fear it might speed up what inevitably will happen.

I feel honored, lucky and in someways more at peace now. My time here has stirred my soul.
It has strengthened my belief that each of us wants to do good. Imagine the positive peer pressure on a child growing up in a town filled with good honorable people.

Please don't laugh, but imagine what our country would be like if this same culture existed in our nations capital.

I hope each of you can have such an experience on your journeys. Keep looking for that Beacon on a Hill.

Rick D Watkins

 How are you treating life?
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Comments:

Popular posts from this blog

Trust and Assisted Living

Trust and Assisted Living trust : to believe  that someone or something is reliable, good, honest, effective, etc. : to have confidence in (someone or something) : to believe that something is true or correct : to hope or expect that something is true or will happen You might say entrusting an assisted living community with the care of your parents or loved one is the ultimate act of trust.  It's common for the adult children of assisted living residents to live hundreds or thousands of miles away. It may have taken months or years to convince mother to make the move into an assisted living community. She isn't completely sold on the idea but is willing to give it a chance. It still sounds too good to be true; a community filled with loving people that will meet her every need and always have a smile on their face. It better be, because mom trusted your advice.  The key to building a family "trust account"  Imagine...
1 comment
Read more
 Weight Loss Surgery Lessons and Customer Engagement There is a television show about extremely overweight people wanting to have weight loss surgery. During the first doctor's appointment, the patient's initial weight is taken, and they are given a 60-day weight loss goal. Reaching this goal determines eligibility for the surgery. Each patient receives very detailed instructions on how to meet their goal. Following the instructions are guaranteed to work. Most patients return for their two-month check-up only to realize their weight loss was minimal or they gained weight. Unfortunately, this process may repeat itself for over a year.  The scale does not lie.  At some point the patient realizes this is a life-or death situation and they need to make a complete Lifestyle change to meet their goal and be approved for the surgery. It was as simple or challenging as following the initial instructions.  So, what does Customer Engagement have in common with weight loss sur...
Post a Comment
Read more

Questions You Should Ask Every Assisted or Senior Living Community

During my 30 years in senior living operations and sales I've failed to understand why families or future residents rarely ask detailed questions relating to management. Even more alarming is that the checklists many are using to assist with their decision-making process does not mention them. Delivering consistent quality care and service in such a dynamic atmosphere is difficult. Imagine what it takes to provide quality meals, housekeeping, activities, maintenance, assistance with specific resident needs such as medications, bathing, grooming, mobility, emergency response, communication with physicians, pharmacies, families, therapists, hospice, home health and so much more 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Each residents needs and expectations are unique and changing. Residents and families trust the community team to deliver consistent service. The importance of employee satisfaction is often overlooked. It directly impacts the quality of care and services delivered. It's si...
Post a Comment
Read more