While my taste for a morning beverage runs along the lines of a nice Diet Dew/Mt Dew mix, I understand many make it part of their morning ritual to have a good ol' cup of Joe.
There have only been a couple times in my life when I have had coffee on a regular basis.
As a reporter, the first time I walked into the Iowa State Patrol office in Osceola, they offered me coffee and it seemed to be the smart thing to say was, 'Yes, thank you.' Later, when working in South Dakota as a reporter I learned a valuable lesson involving coffee.
I covered a large territory in central South Dakota and was the KELO-TV agricultural reporter, so it fell to me to do quite a few stories with farmers and ranchers. When I started with the station - I would get my assignment, call around to locate a rancher willing to have me and my camera come out to their place to shoot some video and do an interview, and then I would take off for sometimes a two hour drive to their place.
When I would arrive, the friendly folks would invite me in for coffee. I would say thanks, but I really don't have time... could we just go ahead and do the interview? But they would want to sit over coffee first, and the conversation on whether or not there was time for coffee would end up taking longer than drinking a cup of hot black water anyway, so I learned to say 'Sure, thanks' when I arrived and found it helped me get my story quicker and not offend any one's hospitality.
Later, in a career as an financial services representative, I would visit individuals and couples in north Wisconsin to help them with the insurance and investment goals. As I walked in the door... after exchanging pleasantries I would be offered a cup of coffee.
Well, if you are in the business of selling - the last word you want to use (or want to hear) is the word, 'no.' So, I would sit down with them over a cup of coffee and we'd work out problems and potential solutions.
Now, the place I work has frequent 'coffees' for residents - so I grab my Diet/Mt Dew and sit down and get to know some very fascinating people.
I know for many, coffee is the thing, and exciting array of various flavors and concoctions - I'll still take my Mt Dew, thank you very much - but the real reason for coffee it seems to me is a social lubricant that helps many not only get up and go... but help all of us move along as we work and get to know each other.
Fill 'er up again!
Comments
Post a Comment