SIGN LANGUAGE

SIGN LANGUAGE

I was killing time in a small airport gift shop in a mid-sized southeastern city. This particular gift shop was full of things one expects to find in an establishment surviving on tourist dollars, but the shop also contained something that would have been amusing if it wasn't so pathetic. In its relatively modest space this retail shop contained 22 handwritten signs placed strategically so as not to be missed. Following are the warm-hearted signs that greeted the potential customer:

2--No drinks allowed.
8--Buy magazines, then read.
1--These are old, out of date papers, please leave them alone!!
5--Please do not handle toys. Toys opened or damaged will be paid for by parents or guardians.
1--Please do not open pens.
5--If you break, you buy!


What do you think was in the minds of the owners, if anything? Do you believe they were looking to improve their bottom line by increasing profit through the patronage of satisfied customers, or was their main objective to reduce their expenses by closing up each night with nothing broken? I can just imagine their mission statement: To be the southeast's largest storehouse of unbroken stuff!

In your personal life what kind of "signs" are you putting up?
I am fragile--be careful with me.
I am tough; you can't hurt me.
Go away; I don't need anybody.
Stay with me; I am needy.
I am better than you, or anybody else for that matter.
I am a scatterbrain, follow up with me on every detail.


I judged the gift shop as non-customer friendly and chose not to stay, much less buy anything (lest I break it on the way to the cash register). How are people judging you? Why?

I first became aware of my acting like a billboard at the end of day one of a two-day program I was conducting. The group got together for beer and pizza. I was invited, and so as not to hurt the inviter's feelings, and simultaneously quenching my thirst, I graciously accepted. The next day in class an antendee of both the program and the drinkfest, came to me and said, "I saw you across the room, but you didn't look like you wanted to be bothered, so I didn't come over to say hello." It took a bit of self-analysis to admit he was right. I was tired and I had a big day coming up, but I sure never would have come right out and said, "Stay away, I'm tired and I have a big day coming up" to anyone. I didn't even think I was thinking it, and yet I was alone most of the evening. How did they know?

Lesson: You got it, you asked for it.