What WOW “thing” are you known for? What would you like to be known for? To make a difference in the lives of those around you, consistently (not just occasionally) do something special that creates WOWs for others.
Think about the WOW people you know – the people you like to be around most. Do you like them because they’re sometimes nice people? Or once in a while they think of others and do something good for them? No! It’s because of who they usually are: consistently kind, always polite and respectful, usually take the time to notice and appreciate those around them.
I recently spoke at an association’s annual meeting. At their banquet, I couldn’t help but notice that many attendees were clamoring to sit at one woman’s table. After meeting her, it was obvious why. She was gregarious, friendly, warm, and outgoing. However, the biggest characteristic I noticed was that she genuinely cared about other people… and it showed in her relationships with her colleagues! She asked about them and their family members, really listened to them, and remembered details of their conversations.
I discovered that she also treats everyone who reports to her the same way. This is not a one-time or occasional thing for her – it’s part of who she truly is! By always showing her care and compassion for others, she has created a WOW environment in which all of her colleagues want to be near her, and all of her employees love working for her!
So, what is your WOW? What is it that you do that makes others want to be near you, work with you, go to bat for you when necessary, or just enjoy sharing time with you? No one can do it all, so don’t try to be WOW in every area; pick one thing that reflects your values and focus on doing that consistently, such as:
- Always noticing the actions of others and saying something to them immediately
- Frequently expressing appreciation for others; never taking them for granted
- Occasionally hand-writing thank you (and other) notes, rather than always taking the easy way out via e-mail
- Always replying to/confirming e-mail to let others know you got their message (I recently got a “thank you” from someone for doing this!)
- Go first! Acknowledge others first, smile first, nod first, say hello first – don’t wait for others to go first!
By being true to who you are, and letting others know you care about them (which creates a WOW in and of itself!), you will become known for the WOWs you create for everyone around you… it really makes a difference!
