I was at KFC yesterday, and the register gal asked me a simple but powerful question (see title). The fact that I was about to enjoy fried chicken, mashed potatoes and corn on the cob made the answer obvious: "Yes! I am having a good day." Naturally, I inquired on her day as well. You'll be glad to know that she was having a good day too, although busy. She also mentioned that even though they are super busy most of the time, that they are slow during the winter.
So what's the point? There are many ways to greet a person. We get in a rut and ask the non-questions when we meet someone in passing. My standard non-greeting is "How's it going?" The answer is invariable one of the following answers "Good", "Not Bad", "Busy", or "OK". This is basically one step above grunting or nodding at someone.
In sales, they teach you ask open ended questions, but this simple question "Are You Having a Good Day?" is a close-ended question. A closed-ended question ends with one answer - "Yes" or "No". However, this question works as a conversation starter because the person asking the question is actually interested in the answer, plus it is not the same non-greeting that we are accustomed to.
How about this one? "I'm Feeling Lucky." You probably recognize this one from the magic search button that Google has been using for years. It makes you feel good to press that button. Much better than the standard "Go", "Search", or "Enter" buttons.
The power of the English language. You can phrase something thousands of different ways to deliver the same message. Those with a mastery of communications know how the words and phrases they select can produce produce wildly different impact on their audience.
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