When was the last time you walked into a business and someone genuinely made you feel like they were glad you were there?
In this episode of the cityCURRENT Show, host Andrew Bartolotta talks with Mary Delia Allen, founder of The Welcoming Edge, about why something as simple as acknowledging another person may be becoming one of the most overlooked—and valuable—skills in business.
Before becoming a professional speaker, Mary Delia spent more than 20 years working in event operations and guest experience with organizations and events including the NFL, MLB, NCAA, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, T-Mobile, and the 2008 Olympics.
Those experiences taught her that welcoming isn’t simply about having an outgoing personality.
It’s a skill—and it can be taught.
Mary Delia explains what she calls the “Greeting Gap” and why she believes we’re living in an “Age of Leave Me Alone,” where digital convenience and changing social habits can make genuine human acknowledgment increasingly uncommon.
As AI becomes better at answering questions, completing transactions, and directing customers, could genuine human connection actually become more valuable?
Mary Delia’s message is refreshingly simple.
Look up.
Acknowledge people.
Help when you can.
Make someone feel like they belong.
Because in an increasingly automated and disconnected world, being genuinely human may be one of the strongest competitive advantages we have.
Learn more: https://themarydelia.com/
