The industry that I have called home for the last 30 years is financial services. In turn, most of the readership of this newsletter makes their living in the same field. Relative to many other industries ours is one that frequently affords us the opportunity to earn significant incomes, travel at the higher end of the five star scale and entertain at some of the best establishments in the country, sometimes the world.
By way of contrast, many of the employees that work at these establishments that we are fortunate enough to visit can only dream of the luxuries that we often enjoy.
What’s the point?
In my keynote address about Increasing Your MQ I review clues to create Maximum Memorability.
One of these clues is Enthusiasm.
Just this week the story that I tell to illustrate this clue has changed as a direct result of the single most enthusiastic person I have met in quite some time.
After an uneventful flight to Dallas and a quick cab ride I arrived at the Ritz Carton. After check in I headed to my room and noticed that the door to the room was ajar. I opened the door and a big gregarious voice, in a deep Texas accent, said:
“Well hello!”, she beamed, “I’m turnin’ down your room, is that o.k.?”
Now, perhaps like you, I am not used to much of a greeting from the housekeeping team other than a polite good morning every now and again.
“What side of the bed do you sleep on?”, she asked with a sincere smile.
Kind of a personal question but I’m going with it. After some brief thought and a quick calculation of the phone to alarm clock to light reach ratios I pointed to left side of the bed.
“Then that’s where I’ll put your water, and your chocolates and the weather report card for tomorrow”
She went on point out some of the amenities of the room, ask me how long I would be staying, and assure me that I would be back again and again because of the friendliness of the staff.
She then gave me a final report that her work was complete.
“I went ahead and turned down both sides of the bed in case you decide to bring home a lady friend”, she smiled and said.
Now let me state for the record that I am happily married for almost 20 years.
“There will be none of that”, I replied and I asked what her name was.
“Anita is my name and I hope you have a wonderful stay. If you need anything do not hesitate to call”, she said as she made her way out the door.
I was standing there with a huge grin on my face. Anita, through her enthusiasm, had completely transformed an otherwise unremarkable situation into one that had Maximum Memorability written all over it.
The Position Paradox is simply this: all of the money and perks of the industry we call home will do nothing to increase our MQ. In fact some the people that garden in our yards, paint our homes and turn down our rooms are often decidedly more memorable.
You and your team have the ability to increase your MQ by taking the seemingly unremarkable and making it Memorable.
For more information on Increasing MQ be sure to visit the shorespeak website.