I recently went on a grey nomad adventure in my motorhome to Streaky Bay & Coffin Bay.  What struck me about that adventure was how my fellow travellers were quick with a smile & a hello and were delighted to engage with me with travel tips and stories.  The connection felt magical!

Upon my return to work after that adventure, I reflected that while I was rushing between meetings everyone seemed locked into their bubbles of concerns.  No-one seemed to want to connect outside of their own bubble!

It was in this context that I was reminded this week of my most powerful yet simplest tool for connection – a smile – through the following poem by Spike Milligan:

Smiling is infectious,
you catch it like the flu,
When someone smiled at me today,
I started smiling too.
I passed around the corner
and someone saw my grin.
When he smiled I realized
I’d passed it on to him.
I thought about that smile,
then I realized its worth.
A single smile, just like mine
could travel round the earth.
So, if you feel a smile begin,
don’t leave it undetected.
Let’s start an epidemic quick,
and get the world infected!

For me, the amazing thing about this poem is that what Milligan captured poetically is backed by science. When we smile, our brains release dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin – neurotransmitters that reduce stress and increase happiness.

Even more fascinating, smiling is contagious because of mirror neurons that incline us to mimic expressions we see in others.  Just like I experienced with those fellow travellers, a simple smile creates an immediate connection

What I too often see is that as business leaders, we focus extensively on strategy and metrics. Yet sometimes, the most impactful change begins with something as simple as our facial expression.

This week, I challenge you: Begin each interaction with a genuine smile. Notice how it affects your emotional state, observe others’ reactions, and track any differences in your interaction outcomes.

In a world of complex solutions to challenging problems, sometimes the most powerful tool is the simplest – a genuine, heartfelt smile.

What positive “infection” will you spread today?