I overheard the first one while perusing magazines in the airport. Friendly voice behind the counter greeting her customers, cheerful, definitely on the loud side, but I was smiling to myself at her warmth and charm.
She goes by Virgen according to her name tag, and as I purchased my magazine she was as joyful with me as she’d been to the previous person. I couldn’t help complimenting her, “You’re so warm to everyone, you have a perfect personality for this job.” She beamed in response. Virgen was memorable.
30 minutes later on board the plane, another louder-than-you-like-it female voice began announcing the usual….Fasten your seat belts, be sure tray tables are up, turn off all electronics. I saw a few eyes widening around me. It was that passenger-to-passenger look when all of us are thinking the same thing…A little too loud and a little too excited, hopefully she’ll tone it down.
She didn’t. As the flight ensued she got even more enthusiastic. I wondered if we were on a Southwest flight vs/ American with her anecdotes and jokes. “You all are probably wondering about Carolina BBQ, well the best place is such and such downtown….” The commentaries continued and I couldn’t help yearning,”Are we there yet?”
So why was Virgen loud yet winning, while this one was so irritating?
Virgen was all about others. She wanted her customers to feel special and she couldn’t contain her enthusiasm toward that end. Miss flight attendant on the other hand, was enjoying the sound of her own voice, at least that’s what it felt like, and judging by the faces of others they were feelin’ it the same.
Which brought home a good reminder that women tend to talk a lot, myself included, and it’s never good to be loud. When my husband gives me the “You’re talking loud motion,” I appreciate it but don’t appreciate it, okay I AM an enthusiastic talker, and he IS trying to help me 🙂
One great protection mechanism is making it always about others, focusing on what they need vs “I really want to say this because it sounds nice when I say it and I like to say things and hear myself say them!”
When talker #2 finished I was over eager to depart the plane, and as my bag got caught on the front seat while pulling it past her, she of course added in one more quippy observation.
I felt for her and wondered who on God’s green earth or plane can mentor her before she gets fired?
It all served as a notable reminder to watch my own motives with greater diligence the next time I’ve got an audience and a mic.