The SMILE! program fulfills the mission of SunShower Learning - to help people unfold their full potential. SMILE! is a fun way to bring a positive message into the workplace, and it carries many important ideas. Here's how it started.... from Joel Leskowitz:

A while back, I was sitting at a coffee shop in Seattle (guess which one) hoping to see Fraser walk by, when I noticed an interesting headline in the paper, "No Gloomy Riders on Reggie Wilson's Bus." The article was about a bus driver who carried a handmade sign with "smile" written on it. He joked with his passengers sang songs, hid cheese under their seats (!), and above all, made them smile. I knew I wanted to meet this guy.

So, I walked to the bus stop on the corner of First Avenue and Pike Street, just across from the famous Pike Place Market - oh, and just outside that little fish market that's now world famous for throwing their fish! Within a few minutes, a green bus, #27, pulled up and the doors slid open. Reggie flashed me a smile, "Hey, how are you today?" I stepped up, paid my fare and took a seat near the front. As we rolled down 1st Avenue, Reggie told a few jokes to a mixed response. Some of the passengers laughed. Others shook their heads and tried not to smile.

"That reminds me of a song," said Reggie, and he started singing. And to my amazement, some of the riders started singing, too! "You make me smile..." Within seconds, the feeling on the bus was transformed as the usual barriers to social interaction fell away. Strangers were singing, clapping their hands - or at least tapping their feet. They were having a good time together. Camp counselor / driver Reggie Wilson was leading the show.

At the end of the route, Reggie relaxed for a moment and shared his thoughts about the day. "We're all in this together," he said. "I love seeing people get along, but the best part of making people smile is that I get to go home smiling." We started filming the next week.

Over the course of this project, I have learned more about Reggie's wonderful personal philosophy that has changed his life and touched the lives of thousands of people around the city. And now, you can ride with Reggie, too! Download a quick info sheet to share with your training team download pdf.

A big thanks for your interest in SMILE! It's an honor to work with Reggie and bring out the SMILE! program, and it was a pleasure to work with the talented people at Metro-King County Transit. It's given me a new glimpse into the challenges and successes of being a customer service professional. I hope YOU enjoy SMILE!

With best wishes for your succes,
Joel Leskowitz

PS - I look forward to hearing from you. If you need to jumpstart your customer service, we can come in and deliver a SMILE! workshop seminar. And sometimes, Reggie is available, too! Read about the SMILE! seminars.

Looking for SMILE! stuff? check out the new SMILE! t-shirts! (link)