By Jim Hunt for the News & Journal
When you think of a smile, how do you feel? Happy, uplifted, at ease, maybe even a little more hopeful. Rarely does anyone say a smile brings sadness, depression, or melancholy. A smile is one of the few “languages” we all speak without needing a dictionary.
You see it everywhere. Videos of babies laughing rack up millions of views. Influencers, whether they’re talking about cooking, politics, fitness, or fixing a leaky faucet, often have a smile on their face. A smile signals warmth. It signals safety. It says, “I’m not here to fight you.”
And that’s what makes it so powerful.
Through my many years in politics, I noticed something that won’t surprise anyone who has spent time around campaigns: candidates who smile often have an advantage over the prophets of doom, the ones who scowl and harrumph their way down Main Street. A smile doesn’t solve potholes, balance a budget, or lower taxes. But it changes the emotional temperature of a conversation. It disarms. It lowers defenses. It makes people a little more willing to listen.
If that’s true, and most of us know it is, why do so many people seem to refuse to use it?
Think about the last time you walked into a car showroom. You’re not buying a cup of coffee.
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You’re considering a major investment. A salesperson who smiles, makes eye contact, and seems genuinely glad you’re there has a big advantage over the one who acts like you’re interrupting their day. I’m no scientist, but I can tell you this: I’ve never been eager to write a check to someone who looked annoyed by my presence.
Or take your local diner. Two waitresses can deliver the same ham and eggs. One does it with a frown, never looking up from the order pad. The other does it with a smile and a simple, “How are you doing today?” Guess who earns better tips? Guess who gets remembered by name? The food may be the same, but the experience is not.
A smile is a small thing that produces outsized results. It’s the cheapest customer service training you’ll ever attend. It costs nothing, requires no special equipment, and works in nearly every setting, from the grocery store to the city council chamber.
Now, I’m not talking about a fake smile. People can spot that a mile away. I’m talking about the kind of smile that says, “I see you.” The kind that treats the person in front of you like a person—not a problem, not a transaction, not an obstacle.
In leadership, that matters. I’ve sat through enough tense meetings to know that emotions often arrive before facts. Citizens may come to the microphone angry. Employees may walk into an office worried. A coworker might be carrying something heavy and not want to admit it. In those moments, a sincere smile doesn’t minimize the issue, it simply opens the door for a better conversation. It signals composure. It signals confidence. It signals respect.
A smile also affects the person wearing it. We tend to think we smile because we feel good. But sometimes it works the other way around: we feel better because we smile. It’s a physical reminder that we still have some choice about how we show up. On difficult days, a smile can be a decision, one small vote for optimism.
So, here’s a simple challenge for the week: smile first. Not because everything is perfect, but because the person in front of you might need a reason to unclench their shoulders. Smile at the cashier. Smile at the neighbor. Smile at the coworker who never smiles back. Smile at the beginning of the meeting before you deliver the tough news.
You may not change the whole world. But you might change the next minute for someone else.
And sometimes, that’s what you need to pick up your own day.