Sharing personal information is easy.
All you have to do is…share some personal information.
Sharing personal information is disarming and relaxing and generates trust, discussion and general overall wellbeing and happiness in a relationship between people.
This is particularly true when you meet new people as it settles the situation where you would otherwise be on your guard.
To show some form of vulnerability shows some trust and in return generates trust and vulnerability back.
I got picked up by the Emirates chauffeur on my trip to China at about 6:30 on Monday 8th October (I never talk about trips in advance because I don’t want people to know that I’m going anywhere to be honest)
The chauffeurs name was Melvin - Mel. I sat in the seat beside him because I always sit in the seat beside taxi drivers; I struggle with the sitting in the back thing.
I introduced myself as Colin and he saw me kiss my family goodbye so he already knew a little bit about me.
We got into some nice discussion in the 45 minutes to Birmingham airport but I was nervous and scared about the trip that was coming up as I’d finally seen the enormity of it and I was a little bit terrified.
I think he realised this and so we got deep down into conversation about why I was going, where I was going and the fact that I’d never been Business Class before and I didn’t really know how to present myself or operate.
Melvin then told me about his circumstances and why he was driving for Emirates.
He had owned a DPD distribution service until about two years ago and then his wife (whom he loved with all his heart – that was very obvious) died very suddenly. As a result of the changes in ownership of DPD he lost his business four months later and his life entirely fell apart.
What he did have left was his three children and from then they banded together. I’m sure they look after him and he looks after them. He’s moved forward and forward and loves the job with Emirates and the people that he meets. He likes to tell them about his wife and keep her alive in his mind.
By the time I got to Birmingham I forgot where I was going. It was a wonderful conversation and it reinforced for me the benefits of sharing personal information with people I meet for the first time.
I took that memory to China and it helped me in many places but it helps me each time I meet someone at work too.
The funny thing with sharing personal information is, it’s just practice. It’s easy, doesn’t do harm and not a lot can go wrong.
I’m amazed more people don’t do it.
Blog Post Number: 1802