Has a smile ever mattered more?
The notion occurred to me after watching a video my friend Canaan Kelley put together for one of my favorite nonprofits, Nancy Lieberman Charities. In the piece, Nancy visited the office of one of the organization’s dedicated supporters, Couture Dentistry. Thus you see the connection that occurred to me: dentists & smiles.
In the video, like pretty much everywhere else in the world, we see a lot of people wearing masks. Masks make it harder to tell if someone is grinning at you. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t smile. In fact, conveying that touch of warmth in your expression seems more crucial than ever.The world already had COVID-19 disrupting human relationships and, in the U.S., we had a contentious election looming. Then this summer social justice upheaval, made us question a lot of our assumptions about people and precipitated more tension. I’ve been fortunate enough to do some diversity, inclusion, and equity work with Sidney and Takisha Moncrief this year, and one thing he wrote about in his new book was how a smile can defuse hostility. I’d like to think I’m inclined to be friendly anyway, but I found myself thinking more than ever about smiling at strangers, especially ones who looked different than me. But unless I was properly socially distanced, the ever-present mask frustratingly muted its impact.
But a smile doesn’t have to just be about lifting your lips. There are other ways to show affection. You might just have to get a little more creative about it.
Nancy has always believed in showing love to the companies who sponsor her charity. And in making this piece, she found a creative way to smile at one. She and Couture’s owner, Dr. Nelson Lo, come from different ethnicities and backgrounds, but she smiles at him big-time in the video - whether she’s showing her teeth off or not.
Nancy’s friend and TV colleague Erin Hartigan appeared with her at the Couture offices. If you’ve ever seen them together, on the air or off, Nancy and Erin share laughs regularly. Constantly, even. That comes through when they appear on camera together, including in this video. Thanks to COVID-19, most of us have had to do a lot more of our communication through cameras and monitors. We’re not all as professional at it as Erin and Nancy. But we can all aim to convey amiability in our interactions.
Please, whether anyone can see you or not, keep smiling.
Rush Olson has spent more than two decades directing creative efforts for sports teams and broadcasters. He currently creates ad campaigns, television programs, and related creative projects for sports entities through Rush Olson Creative & Sports, Mint Farm Films, and FourNine Productions.
