Wednesday, May 2, 2012

The Art of the Surprise – A Key for Success



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. 

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