This powerful phrase can initiate so much in terms of caring, empathy, and sympathy but it’s thrown away at nearly every opportunity.
Pay attention the next time someone asks you how you’re doing. Is it asked as they walk past you? Is it asked as they are working on something or being attentive to their phone? Or is it asked with sincerity and with the expectation that you’ll answer honestly and openly?
I’d wager that more often than not, it’s lacking sincerity.
Asking a person how they are doing and then waiting kindly on a reply has the power to transform someone’s day. Someone’s week. Someone’s month.
Even someone’s life.
Human connection and compassion are critical components of our existence. Philanthropy News Digest tells us Americans feel there is a decline in empathy. On the contrary, Vox reports that compassion is on the rise. So while there may be conflicting data about what exactly is happening, ask yourself what your experience is. What do you see and feel on a day-to-day basis?
When I’m working with groups in conflict, individuals, leaders, or colleagues, I often say “there’s a way to be a person.” It’s a reminder that we can and should react and interact with our human side just a little bit more. Let’s be real, it’s tough out there and the world can be cold, cruel, and heartless.
But it can also be the opposite of all those things. It can be warm, kind, and filled with joy.
And it can all start with a genuine “how are you doing” from you to your fellow person.
Try it today. Let me know how it goes. I’m genuinely interested in how you are doing.