YES ATTITUDE - Does anyone know who this is?

This is Linda. You might recognise her—not just by face, but by presence. Linda is the moody lady behind the counter of a local pastry shop. The one who keeps her responses short, rarely smiles, and quietly hopes the day passes quickly. Most of us have met a Linda. Some of us have been her.

And yet, Linda wasn’t always this way.

In our coaching sessions, Linda shared what many frontline retail staff feel but rarely say: the strain of constantly showing up, the fatigue of being overlooked, the weight of unspoken expectations. What changed for Linda wasn’t a script or a smile she was told to fake. It was something deeper: she was finally seen.

Coaching in Retail Isn’t About Teaching People to Say “Yes”

It’s about helping them feel like they matter—so they can offer that same feeling back to others. Coaching gave Linda space to reflect, to voice what wasn’t working, and to rediscover a sense of purpose in her role. That’s when something subtle but powerful began to shift.

Because when Linda feels acknowledged, she’s more likely to acknowledge the person standing in front of her.

The Boomerang Effect of Acknowledgement

The ‘Yes Attitude’ isn’t about approving every request or sugar-coating tough days. It’s about presence. It’s about curiosity. And in retail, it’s about creating micro-moments that make customers feel welcome, even before a word is spoken. Coaching helped Linda connect the dots: that her presence sets the tone of the shop. That her energy shapes the customer experience. And that being seen by her manager—and by an external coach—gives her the bandwidth to truly see others.

Why Retail Managers Should Pay Attention

Customers don’t just come back for products. They come back for how they felt in your store. They return when they sense attentiveness, warmth, and a human moment in a world that’s increasingly transactional.

Linda’s shift didn’t happen because someone told her to be nicer. It happened because someone listened first. Coaching gave her that space. And in turn, Linda now gives that space to her customers.

The pastry shop hasn’t changed its menu. But something else has: the energy behind the counter. Linda’s days feel lighter. Customers linger longer. And sales? They’ve picked up.

All because someone took the time to invest in how Linda feels—so that Linda can take care of how customers feel.

Final Thought

A “Yes Attitude” isn’t a performance. It’s the natural result of a work culture that acknowledges its people. The moment staff feel genuinely seen is the moment they start making others feel seen, too. And in retail, that’s where loyalty begins.

Want more Lindas to shine in your store? Start by giving them the attention they rarely ask for—but quietly need. Coaching does that. And the return on that attention? It walks out the door with a smile—and comes back for more.