The Fruits of Bearing Witness to Someone Enjoying His Job
November 28, 2018
The Fruits of Bearing Witness to Someone Enjoying His Job
When you fly, you are more or less a captive audience to what goes on around you, especially if you’re not engrossed in games on your electronic equipment or watching TV. Typically I either read or am writing when I fly, or sometimes I just enjoy having a quiet mind. Each of these activities makes it more likely that I’m going to notice without making it much of an effort how the flight attendants approach their jobs.
A recent flight was staffed by an all-male crew, including both the pilots and the flight attendants. The lead flight attendant, Jim, clearly approached his job with a joyful passion and energy which was obvious from the moment passengers stepped on the plane to locate their seats. I was sitting near the front and was fortunate to find myself in an early boarding group, so I was able to witness his interaction with everyone who boarded the plane after me.
I was actually sitting in one of the bulkhead seats and those seats have extra leg room as they have no seats directly in front of them. The extra leg room makes for a more comfortable ride, but it also means that there is no seat in front of you to store a carry-on bag. All carry-on luggage, including women’s purses, laptops, etc. have to be stored in the overhead bins. It was a full flight which meant that overhead space was going to be very much in demand. I watched Jim manage to keep his eye on passengers who were boarding as well as passengers who had already moved down the aisle to find their seat. When he witnessed individuals having trouble finding overhead space, he called out to them where they could find space along with directions on how to place the bag in the overhead bin in order to make the best use of available space.
What I found impressive about his alertness was a combination of his ability to be present in the moment and greet each passenger in such a way that you knew he was actually focused on each one while simultaneously keeping an eye on how people were doing as they moved to get settled in their seat. The added positive feature of his approach to his work was the tone and humor he used as he spoke with everyone. It was clear that his efforts were intended to be helpful. He asked those boarding the number of their seat assignment, and then he told them which side of the plane their seat was on and whether they were sitting in an aisle or a window seat.
He was on the tall side so perhaps that enabled him to have a clear view of how things were moving down the aisle as more and more passengers boarded. On several occasions he could see that some folks were having difficulty getting their bags in the overhead bins. In response he was able to gracefully move in and around people, heft the bags overhead, and clear the aisles so that more passengers could board.
When passengers with children boarded, he asked the children if they would like to say hello to the pilots. Most of the kids jumped at the opportunity, and the pilots posed for parents to take photos of them with the children. A little extra touch that started those children’s flight with a surprise experience!
Once everyone was boarded, the food crew and clean-up crew boarded the plane to make sure that the drinks and snacks were well supplied. I think this occurred as the plane had arrived later than planned from its previous flight, and an all-court press was on to get this flight out on time. It is noteworthy to mention that the plane arrived at the boarding gate fifteen minutes after we were scheduled to begin boarding, so we were notably behind schedule. With everyone working together, the previous flight deplaned, the crew prepared for the next flight, and we boarded and still managed to depart fifteen minutes earlier than scheduled.
I enjoyed watching how the food and clean-up crew members could work in such tight spaces – the galley where food is stored and prepared – and how comfortable they were with each other. They clearly knew one another, and were able to talk business and check in personally with one another while completing their assigned tasks. Because I was seated so close to the front of the plane, I could hear them talking about their Thanksgiving plans, sharing how their children were doing, along with how some new regulations concerning their work were impacting their wages.
Once we were in air and reached our cruising altitude, the pilot announced that after ten minutes or so we would clear the turbulence we were experiencing and the flight crew would be able to serve hot beverages as well as an assortment of cold beverages. If you have flown recently, you may have noticed that the little milk/creamer containers that are typically served with coffee and tea have been replaced by containers that more closely resemble the packaging used for mustard and ketchup. This change may not seem like a big deal, but try opening one of these packages without shooting milk or cream everywhere.
The packages are poorly designed if you think about it. You have to hold the packet filled with a liquid in a tight enough grip that you can tear the top off in order to pour the contents into your coffee or tea. What happens in this scenario is that once you detach the top, the pressure that you’re putting the liquid forces the liquid to spray out the top. After spraying myself with milk multiple times, I’ve made a conscientious effort to find a way to get around the flaw in the construction. And to just be on the safe side, I ask for extra packets and extra napkins in case my systematic approach fails.
So when Jim approached my seat and asked what I’d like I ordered coffee as it was an early morning flight. He then asked me how many creams I would like, and I answered only to notice that he was opening the packets and pouring them into my coffee. I couldn’t resist sharing my observations with him regarding what I thought was a flaw in the design of them. He agreed and said that was why he opened them for his passengers to spare them getting the white stuff all over themselves. He also told me not to get used to the service as he didn’t think most flight attendants would provide this service. In my book, just another example of how much he enjoyed his job!
I found watching Jim enjoy his work and extend himself fully as he engaged with his passengers very uplifting. He was joyful and upbeat, and that combination is contagious. He was clearly proud of his work and not afraid to show it. His example was a pleasant reminder to me of the importance of being upbeat and being present in the “work” that we choose to engage in. His approach to his work made clear that he saw his work as a form of service and he made the choice to fully embrace the opportunity to serve. His energy was contagious, and it reminded me that our approach to all that we do in our daily lives has the added capacity to have a positive impact on others based on how we “present” ourselves. I’m happy to give a Shout Out to Jet Blue for their commitment to providing excellent customer service!
