Creating peak experiences for employees and customers is a no-brainer. You gotta do it.
I agree – it’s a total no-brainer! It’s also easy. And cheap. And companies who do it find that it makes them a LOT of money.
Of course my interest is in creating peak experiences for employees – moments where you just go “MAN, I love working for this company!”
Have you had one of those? What happened – what was the peak experience? How can your workplace give you a WOW moment?
I can be bribed with food. One time, after staying late and wrestling with a hardcore project, my supervisor brought in this gourmet chocolate mousse dessert thing that was amazing. Or they take me to lunch.
Ok, so maybe it isn’t free. But is shelling out $10 for an outstanding employee once in a while that bad? I believe the way to everyone’s heart is through their stomach.
After many years I had that experience again last summer. I got myself an assignment to help colleagues in the US for a few months at one of the most important projects for the company.
It was a lot of work, racing from milestone to milestone. It was not a 9 to 5 job. The schedule was based on what needs to be finished today. If that can be done in 8 hours
I was given the opportunity to make a presentation to the whole school on a proposed new management information system. I had help with paring down what i should say, and a practice beforehand with an experienced consultant. But it was brilliant, I had never done much like that before and as an administrator presenting to a whole boarding school community,, groundmen, kitchen staff and head teacher alike, it was amazing. I had such positive feedback,, and loved every minute. * once the butterflies stopped beforehand* it probably only took 8 minutes, if that, but I shall never forget it, nor the lessons learnt in the preparation.
Then I got to do the implementation of the system and loved that too!
I was given the opportunity and grabbed it,,,,,,
Give someone a chance to shine. They will love you for it!
Hayden: Food works on me too :o) Especially gourmet stuff. Some people eat to live – I live to eat!
rpk: Excellent stpry – and I agree with your assertion that a large part of happiness at work is “doing things that matter.” But why were you happy at work when many others were bailing?
Debbie: Wow, congratulations. That is pretty much how I felt after the first time I spoke to a large crowd of people. I’ll warn you right now… It’s addictive!
The difference between me and the team that is permanent on the project is time. The project is running on rocketfuel. People make long hours to get the job done. That is fine for a short period. It’s not fine when it has been like that for a year knowing the next couple of years will be the same.
I only went for a few months and expected it was going to be hard. If it had been an assignment for a year or longer I wouldn’t have signed up.
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