"Never say No" has never been a weakness of Gen Z, It has been our unique and outstanding character. Perhaps even we are not aware of it, as a hospitable young generation, it has become our attitude towards life, and can even bring unexpected surprises in our work.
One interesting thing I've noticed in some Q&A sessions recently is that when Gen.Z are asked what their weaknesses are, most of them say they don't know how to say no. In fact, I fully agree that we should learn this ability in order to avoid some unnecessary and even not helpful work to our success at all. I can not give an absolute answer here as to whether this is good or bad, but I wander to remind all Gen Zs like me that we should be more focused on figuring out how to take control of our lives, rather than focusing on just saying “NO” like the single word. What is even more worth remembering and reflecting on is the felling of our unwillingness to say no to others, because that is really a good characteristic of us as young people. We are kind, hospitable, positive, these qualities are our precious assets.
Only by giving are you able to receive more than you already have. — Jim Rohn
When I recall my first internship at JW Marriott Hotel, I can clearly remember that one of the rules I was taught from the very first day of work was "Never Say No" to your customers, which is considered an essential quality of service in the hotel industry. What impressed me most was the experience of a young lovers who stayed at our hotel. At that time, it was the woman's birthday during their stay, and the man wanted to take this opportunity to propose to his girlfriend, so he hoped to prepare a surprise for her through us. As receptionists, we agreed immediately after we learned of his demand. Then, we helped him reserved the cake and the restaurant, as well as redecorated the room for them. Of couse, with our active cooperation, the man's proposal was successful and he was very grateful to our help for all the arrangements he made. When they left, they gave us a handwritten thank-you note and a photo of them together. This experience is still fresh in my mind, because when I provide extra help to the them, their happy mood can also make me empathize with them, which can bring me a sense of achievement and happiness outside work. Personally, "Never say No" means that we are willing to go beyond what is expected of us and to further analyze and reflect on the needs of others. I believe that when we begin to say "Yes, no problem" to others, life throws up unexpected surprises for us.
People lack the willpower, rather than strength. — Hugo
On the other hand, perhaps we should learn "Never say No" to ourselves. When I was in childhood, I read a fable about pearls and mussels, said is a day of mussels in foraging was sucked into a grain of sand, it suffered from foreign body into the throes of continuously secrete substances to package this sand. Until few years later, it has been brought ashore only to find that at the time a small sand already has become a radiant, priceless pearls. It’s easy to understand that when a grain of sand is thrown into the beach, you will be hard to find it again, but when it becomes a pearl, whoever will easy to find it and pick it up. For us, we should try our best to become a mussel with pearls, if we want our own life is successful and meaningful, it must endure hardships and do not give up.
Perhaps we should think of "Never Say No" more as a potential state of life for Gen.Z. We caring others, helpful, never say no to friends. We persevere, never give up, never say no to ourselves. We also love life, are full of curiosity, never say no to the unknown new things. So, stop hesitating and be friendly to life, be clear about your choices, set a clear goal and stick to it, then you will lead to success!
One of my colleagues at the school, Mara Constantine (Bachelor of Hospitality Management from Romania), wrote a very meaningful and interesting article called <Gen Z: Striving for Excellence in the Hospitality Industry> in March this year. If you want to know how to work hard and succeed in the right way, check out her blog and you'll be inspired.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog! I hope this article will help you in your life, your studies and your career. If you liked this article and find a common feeling, or found it changed your mind, please don't hesitate to leave a comment below or share it to your friends. Also, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you very much!
Author: Ms. Xiaoyu Wang (Brylin), Hospitality Bachelor Student at Hotel Institute Montreux (HIM), from China.