The Curiosity Habit

Wisdom from a grocery store.

I recently watched a leadership talk where the speaker gave some insight about Trader Joe’s.

He said their employees are trained to connect with every customer at check-out. Sounds great, but how do you engage with a stranger in the time it takes to scan organic noodles and a bottle of wine?

The staff do at least these two actions:

1) They ask, “What are you doing for the rest of your day?”

2) They comment on one of the items you bought

Short and simple.

I didn’t believe him. Until my next visit to Trader Joe’s, and BINGO, both happened.

These two tiny habits get people talking and tilt the odds toward a positive experience. A customer walks away thinking, “Wow, someone actually paid attention to me.”

That’s a lesson that reaches far beyond Trader Joe’s. Connecting with people is more than having a magnetic personality. Instead, it starts in a much deeper place… showing curiosity.

Apply this approach to your everyday life. Skip the “How are you?” autopilot question. Because once you push past the empty platitudes, you’ll find the good stuff.

Stay curious.