President Obama dropped into Afghanistan yesterday for an
impromptu visit with our troops, which got me thinking about how some of the
most successful people I know employ surprise in very smart, strategic ways to
achieve success in various aspects of their lives. For the purpose of this blog post, let’s tackle
two scenarios: how employers can use
surprise to increase employee morale and engagement, and how job seekers can “wow”
a prospective employer by doing the unexpected.
It’s really easy for leaders within organizations to get so
bogged down with their daily challenges, hassles and concerns that they miss
what I call “moments of magic” within their rank and file. By this I mean that managers and executives
many times don’t slow down to really observe that really great sales call Mark
just made or appreciate the fact that Linda in accounting figured out a new
report that will make it easier for the company to profitably manage clients. They get stuck in the “glass is half empty”
syndrome. They forget to celebrate the
small, daily successes that can serve to be the catalyst for bigger achievements
– like a snowball rolling down a hill.
A gift card tucked under a coffee cup, a thoughtful note thanking
someone for their hard work or just dropping in unexpectedly to chat with Joe,
the new kid in IT, can make a big difference in someone’s day. And – bonus! – you’ll feel good, too.
For job seekers, using the art of the surprise effectively
can be the difference between getting that really awesome job or being passed
over. Instead of sending the typical “thank
you” email or note after an interview, how about sending a couple of pizzas
with a “Thanks and lunch is on me” note?
Or it can mean just being really, really prepared for an interview –
reading up on the company, checking out their website, planning out the
questions you want to ask and how you’ll ask for the job. You would be surprised how many people just “wing
it”, trust me.
The bottom-line is, if you want to make an impact – in your
company or in your career, you’ll need to break some bad habits, get out of
your comfort zone and be creative to get the results you want.
