From ordinary to extraordinary

A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results. Wade Boggs 

The dictionary defines the word extraordinary as highly exceptional and remarkable, going beyond what is usual or customary.

The world around us is changing fast. Companies are selling a product or a service to someone that may have a better value than its competitor. But we all sell experiences. 

Whether you sell the latest I-phone or a new pair of Air Jordan shoes, it’s how people feel about the products they purchased. But, in some places the experiences we sell to the customer comes from the people delivering the extraordinary remarkable service.

For example at Zappos, their philosophy is to Deliver the Wow through their service. I want to share with you a statement from their core values they highly stress in their culture of WOW service- “You must do something that's above and beyond what's expected. And whatever you do must have an emotional impact on the receiver. We are not an average company, our service is not average, and we don't want our people to be average. We expect every employee to deliver WOW. “

In other words, we have to deliver the extraordinary. We don’t want ordinary or just to be average. Extraordinary is something each us has to remember when we want to create a better value to our customers. Customers don’t remember ordinary, they remember extraordinary. Everyone can make a memorable difference.

So, how can we be become extraordinary? What are three essentials for remarkable performances?

Be a value creator

When we think about value, we think about how to add more value to take our product or service to a higher level. It’s about the EXTRA stuff. It’s about the BONUS for the customer. We can add more value by going above the expectations. It’s what I call the Surprise and Delight moments that our customers remember. Something they didn’t anticipate or expected but created a memory they will never forget because of your service. Here is one quick suggestion-perform Random Acts of Kindness daily.

Be a problem solver

Customers love problem-solvers. Mistakes happen sometimes and we have to show the ability to step up and own them. Sometimes problems occur because of someone else, but in order to be extraordinary, we have to solve problems we may have not have created ourselves. 

Here is a quick suggestion-When you are facing a problem, think about the other person having the problem and how would you like to be treated if that problem was yours? Change the perspective and you begin to realize how important it is to have the problem resolved immediately. Don’t’ be a problem spotter, but be a problem solver.

Be a team player

Going from ordinary to extraordinary is a team play. The days of one person making a difference is long gone. If we want to make a positive remarkable difference, it involves other people. It involves adding value and helping other people become better than they are. 

It’s the leadership test of whether someone is better because of you. Here is a quick suggestion-find a way to reach out and try to add something to someone’s day. Find a way to help them in some way. They will be sure to appreciate it. If you are part of a team, it’s the contribution we make to the total team effort.