Ways to distinguish yourself #167 – Be thoughtful

By Rajesh Setty on Thu 12 Oct 2006, 10:29 PM – 1 Comment

Of course all of us are thoughtful. Are we really? It seems like common sense but it’s not.

They say that we are either thinking about what happened in the past or worrying about what will happen in the future. So where do we have the time to be “thoughtful” in the present? Let’s do a quick check – how thoughtful were you today? Whatever be your answer if I ask all the people that interacted with you about your thoughtfulness, would they concur with your conclusion?

Wanting to be thoughtful is easy but actually practicing it is hard. It requires an extra effort to think from the other person’s viewpoint. Here are a few thoughtful scenarios

1. For the sake of experience

Last weekend we were at Lego Land. We ate at a restaurant inside. The waiter came with the check. As you can see the check holder was completely made of lego pieces. These people had used every single opportunity to demonstrate what all we could do with Legos. It was fascinating.

2. For the sake of courtesy and consideration

This happens almost on a daily basis from simple things like holding the door for someone behind you.

It

can be for very complex things. I remember (and it has happened only

once so far) a waiter who was extremely thoughtful. I had gone for a

business lunch and was looking forward to having a conversation with my

contact. The waiter as you can see soon was very smart and thoughtful.

After the pleasantries, he said “Gentlemen, I want to ensure that you

enjoy the meal as well as the conversation. I tend to come and check in

on you from time to time to ensure that I am taking care of you. But

sometimes it can be a nuisance. Please let me know how you want to me

to check in on you so that you have a pleasant experience without being

intrusive”

That for me was an epitome of thoughtfulness.

3. For the sake of convenience

I fly out of San Jose airport most of the time. I also visit the airport more times either to drop off someone or to pick up someone else. Yesterday I was there to spend a few (more) minutes with Tim. Obviously time was of essence and I wanted to find a parking spot quickly. Earlier, it would have taken me a lot of time to find a spot. However, I was pleasantly surprised about a few reserved spots marked as “One Hour Parking Only” and they were right next to the door. It is a definite help for people who are on the run. Simple and thoughtful solution again!