Some times the things we don’t say or do are more important, more impactful, than the things we do.
This concept is not exactly rocket science. The problem here is that what we don’t say or don’t do is rarely noticed, except for our employees and customers who feel ignored. So we miss opportunities at best and worse, we send the wrong messages. Because we are not paying attention.
The Chief Executive Officer of a large organization, absorbed with an issue, walks past employees in the hallway and stares through them as if they did not exist. No smile, no 
acknowledgment of their greeting.
The flight attendant, hearing the sound of passengers coming down the jetway, tells a colleague moving to the coach cabin, “Here comes the stinking herd,” and then quickly busied herself in the galley to avoid speaking to the passengers as they board the plane. I guess she forgot about the passenger sitting in 4E.
Companies spend a great deal of money on consultants and advertising agencies to promote employee engagement and a positive customer service experience. It only takes one employee — whether it is a highly paid CEO or a flight attendant in a bad mood — to wipe out some of that expensive investment.
When we are not self aware we can do real harm to our brand.