Awesomeness- The overwhelming desire to perform above and beyond expectation (even when no one is looking) and creating a culture which draws the best employees and customers to your business

Your business is awesome. You have a positive mantra written on the wall of the break room, your 21 irrefutable laws of customer satisfaction manual is readily available to everyone, and your billboards show towering pictures of senior management smiling confidently at the passing motorists beneath them. 

I hate to burst your bubble, but believing that policy and marketing alone can create awesomeness is delusional. I’ve had the pleasure of speaking at more conventions, staff meetings, and breakout sessions than I can possibly recall; and have realized that there are three simple strategies that cause some businesses to stand out while others become relics.

1. Awesomeness is not something you do, it is who you are.

Great businesses realize that hiring someone out of desperation is akin to going grocery shopping while hungry. You are more likely to ignore what you really need in an effort to satisfy a temporary craving. Hiring the wrong person is the most expensive activity that most businesses will engage in every day.

One example of a business who creates a great culture was revealed to me when our 21 year old daughter, Molly, fell at home and suffered a serious brain injury. When it became clear that she was going to survive and would require extensive rehab, it became clear that a bank account for Molly’s benefit would be very beneficial.

I sent an email to a great friend and running buddy of ours, John DeDoncker, CEO of THE National Bank, asking about account options. The account was set up within hours, and the 23 THE National Banks have blown us away with their caring attitude and generosity. The entire community of businesses and individuals alike all stepped up and I have never been so humbled by generosity and kindness in my life! When I told John about how amazing his entire staff had been, his response was humble. “Thank you, it is who we are.” You will note that he didn’t say “It’s what we do.” When you have the right people in place, you know what they will do because of who they are.

2. Stand out! 

Every day, our brains are pummeled with 7,000 or more messages asking us to purchase something! Naturally, we must filter most of those out. The marketing tactics that succeed are those which are bold. One of my consulting clients, Terrostar Web Design and Internet Marketing, created a dynamite marketing campaign. Their sales guru, Chris Glass, sent his prospects a pill bottle with a marketing note inside. While I won’t disclose the content of the note, you can imagine how it stood out compared to a white #10 envelope.

3. Throw some binders! 

Best selling author, Patrick Lencioni, talks about the importance of conflict when debating key issues. He recalls a story of one of Intel’s meetings where people were throwing binders because they were so passionate about their issue. While the need to wear a hockey helmet to a board meeting may seem a bit awkward, realize that when everything is hashed out inside a meeting, it kills the cancer of gossip and dissent because everyone has said their peace. The sickest organizations I have ever encountered resemble an autocratic dictatorship. Talented people stand by the sidelines out of fear, and the person in charge believes that they are superior to everyone else. Debate is healthy!

What examples of awesomeness have you experienced?