Shift the energy of your culture with this one phrase
"Allow me to show you."
Open handed gesture only. Never point. And if you have the time, always walk the guests to where they have just asked you for directions.
For over 2 decades, I’ve had these directions imprinted in my mind. But why? Why where these guidelines the most impactful on my leadership voice versus others?
It wasn’t until I was sitting at a table with my two business partners. One of them explained what “allow me to show you” actually meant to me and how I defined it. Him and I have worked together in many different iterations and he is one of my nearest friends - so to listen to him explain it from his viewpoint was a little life changing. I’ve never heard someone share my definition of a term to someone else before I had defined it fully myself.
Allow me to show you is at the core of the leader within and to those I have the opportunity to lead. But what does it actually mean?
An open handed gesture is more welcoming rather than someone pointing at or towards something. We are all different heights with our focal points in different places. When you point at something, it suggests that we are seeing the same thing - which most often than not the case. It also portrays that you are took busy to take the moment and help someone get to a destination or find a person that they are joining.
Take a second to think about it - if you are late to meeting someone at a restaurant and the host tells you they are seated and that you can go find them - how would that make you feel? For me, it makes me nervous and makes me anxious, if I’m staying honest. I now have to scan the room attentively looking for the person / people I’m joining in hopes I’ll find them right away. Let’s not mention how anxious I already am for being late.
Now, replay this story and the host tells you - “allow me to show you to your guests.” What a difference that makes just reading that sentence. Your reaction may be “thank you so much” and you follow them with confidence and slowly to the table - eliminating any frantic energy you may have gotten had you had to go find them on your own in a space you are not familiar with.
There is also a sense of protection and safety in “allow me to show you”. The person who is sharing this sentence is also posing it as a question. It is inviting in a sense of trust - allowing them to walk you is assuring you they know the way - they will guide you through the crowded bar, or the fastest way to the restroom, or help you navigate the menu in a way that excites your senses.
Read it again “allow me to show you.”
How do you feel after reading this sentence now that you’ve read the stories above?
Creating an inviting and trusting environment for yourself, your colleagues and your guests encourages you to open your arms, take an extra moment out of whatever you are currently doing and listen to the person in front of you. “Allow me to show up” is a gesture of kindness, respect and curiosity. It also shows that you have listened to the person in front of you and you are acting on their needs or requests to the best of your ability.
This phrase and action step also allows you to lead someone. It demonstrates how quickly you have established trust that they feel comfortable following you. Pretty cool right?!
As a leader, building a foundation of trust and respect is key to your impact and relationships with your colleagues and guests. Spending time defining what the pillars of your culture are is crucial to then building your guidelines and structures from that common baseline.
Adapting “allow me to show you” as one of your guiding principles can have an impactful shift on your culture both internally and externally. Give it a test drive. Be intentional with this phrase. And watch and listen to see it shares with you.