Yesterday, I had a very long conversation with Robert S. Kaplan about business strategy and today I spoke with Mark Sanborn about how to deliver an encore performance at work, to keep them coming back for more. Mark was more brief, relative to Robert, but both share extremely good quality information for all of you.
Why should companies care about delivering an “encore” performance? If they don’t, will they survive in the future, in a world filled with unlimited choices?
It isn’t just the number of choices available but the quality and value of the offering. More options generally means more competition which makes remarkable products, services and performances stand out from the mass of offerings.
What traits do all extraordinary performers have in common? Can you explain why each is important to overall output?
What you’re asking is the essence of the book. There are shared skills that create a remarkable performance and that’s what I address: preparation, practice, performance, polish and dealing with pitfalls. Passion is the fuel that drives this process engine.
- Passion: The fuel for remarkable performance
- Prepare: How remarkable performance begins
- Practice: It won’t make you perfect, but it will make you better
- Perform: How to engage your audience
- Polish: Making your performance shine
Many workers are happy working 9-5 and delivering results on par with what their companies are demanding. What impact does this have on companies?
The corollary of “you get what you pay for” is “you get paid what you’re perceived as being worth.” While there are a few exceptions to the rule, companies will value and should reward employees who go beyond basic expectations. The value-creators are those who rise in an enlightened organization.
Why do companies need to start focusing on building their talent from within?
Engaging the people on the team is what gets them excited and committed about their work and their customers. Developing latent talent is the best way to increase organizational capacity.
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What are a few tactics for achieving an encore performance? What will make people talk about you for time to come?
Knowing more about your product or service and your customer than anybody else is a good starting point. The more you know about your client–what he or she likes, values, desires, etc.–the greater the opportunity you have to provide personalized attention.
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Mark Sanborn, CSP, CPAE, is president of Sanborn & Associates, Inc., an idea studio dedicated to developing leaders in business and in life. Mark is an international bestselling author and noted authority on leadership, team building, customer service and change. His latest book is called, The Encore Effect: How to Achieve Remarkable Performance in Anything You Do.
Mark holds the Certified Speaking Professional designation from the National Speakers Association (NSA) and is a member of the Speaker Hall of Fame. Mark’s list of over 1,500 clients includes Capital One, Costco, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, FedEx, Harley-Davidson, and many more.
