My Paisley Chair

As it turns out Will Rogers was right when he said, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”. Even Ms. Google concurs and goes so far as to say that a huge percentage of someone’s lasting opinion of you will be determined by their first impression. People tend to generalize relationships based on first impressions. So, “a positive first impression is a fundamental step in making the halo effect work in your favor.” Wow! Who knew?

There have been a bunch of times that I wished this were not true, I had learned this earlier in life, and that I didn’t have to re-learn it!  But alas … not so! One would think after learning this lesson the hard way, I would never forget it. However, I need constant reminders because my filter just doesn’t engage quickly enough and before I know it … well you know!

Here’s my story: I had just landed a job. As it turned out it was the best job ever, the hardest, most exhausting and fulling job EVER! It was well within my skill set, and BONUS … the pay scale was far beyond my experience or expectation.

It was advertised as a basic customer service relations job. After Hurricane Katrina hundreds of thousands of claimants needed to connect with their adjusters. Within the day of being hired I was assigned to an office, found a desk, and started to work. Instructions were sketchy other than give people our undivided attention, be nice and helpful. Most people were just grateful to get to talk to a human on the phone! As the day progressed, I realized many of the people on the other end of the phone would be unable to recover from the current event or from such great loss.

The phone literally never stopped ringing with barely time to think or breathe between calls. Each person had a story of devasting circumstances they needed to tell someone.  Most of the calls started with appreciation for a human picking up the phone and quite a few calls ended with tears. Everyone deserved undivided attention and as much assistance as we could muster. Every effort was made to help them connect with resources so they could feel better about their situation and whenever possible maybe even put a smile on their face.

With so much going on my “brain to mouth” filter became disengaged at some point without my notice. Thus, the lesson “you never get a second chance to make a first impression”. During the first week of my new, best job ever, I received a call from a sweet southern lady who said, “Someone told me if I would call this number, someone would be nice to me.” Well, I qualified for that call – human and nice (most of the time). I immediately quipped “Well, of course, I’m nice on the phone, but in person I’m mean as a rattlesnake!”

Silence… LONG pause, and then, “Darlin’ you don’t know who you are speaking with, do you?” The beyond obvious answer … no Ma’am. “I own the office you’re sitting in”. Another LONG pause! No chuckle, no retort, no indication she was smiling on the other end of the phone. I finished the call with the assistance she requested, however I couldn’t help but wonder where’s Will Rogers when you need him to smooth things over! Isn’t there a warning light that should capture my attention when my filter is NOT engaged? Evidently NOT!

Hoping against hope, and praying that she would forget the incident, I moved on to another day of 100’s of calls. No other calls from the business owner or my supervisor! It was several days later that someone I didn’t recognize but with obvious power and authority stepped through the office door and starting questioning “Where’s my rattlesnake?”! YIKES! It’s me! Gratefully, she got a kick out of my blooper and had a good time telling her friends about her new hire. Whew!

Of course, there’s a reason this memory popped up. I was challenged by a friend’s question, “If you only had the time of an elevator ride with someone, could you tell your story?” First impressions and brief encounters sometimes are all we get.

I have more questions today than answers! Here are questions I’m asking myself:

1, Is it possible to have a positive (or eternal) impact on someone’s life during an elevator ride, or standing in the line at Walmart?

2. In a brief encounter would anyone notice that I have reason for hope in this crazy world?

3. Am I ready at a momen’ts notice ot give an account for what lies within me?

4. If “hope deferred makes the heart sick”, shouldn’t my countenance, words and actions be hope-filled enough to be instantly recognizable?

5. MOST IMPORTANT: Is my filter engaged?

Here’s a bunch of “hopes”. I hope you don’t have filter engagement issues like mine. I hope I can remember to stay alert to the danger of crummy first impressions. I hope my first impression is worthy to be remembered and sets the right tone for the future interaction. Hopefully, there will be enough reminders along the way that I don’t have to re-learn this lesson.

The reason for all this hope? Jesus! 1 Peter 3:15 In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. Jesus is the reason I have hope! Jesus is only One who can satisfy the craving of a hopeless soul in this crazy world!  Jesus is the reason I need to keep my filter engaged.

For all my “Trekie” friends … Filter! ENGAGE!