In my last post on my Twitter exchange with Tom Peters I used the phrase "infectious agents of enthusiasm," a concept that has continued to resonate with me and has inspired some practical questions:
What does it mean to be an infectious agent of enthusiasm?
What does it look like in practice?
And what results can we expect?
It occurred to me that one surefire way to spread enthusiasm--an infectious vector, if you will--is a simple expression of gratitude, and that led to the following exchange with a vendor whose services I use:
April 22, 2010 9:27 AM:
I know that people who staff help desks are like cops and lawyers--no one calls you unless there's a mess that needs to be cleaned up.
So I opened this help ticket to tell y'all that...
1) I've really embraced the new [feature], even though I bitched and moaned about it (a lot.)
2) I'm really grateful for (and feel well-supported by) your service.
3) You are teh awesome. Really.
Thanks.
Ed Batista
April 22, 2010 11:02 AM:
Hi Ed,
Thank you so much for taking the time to reach out and share these kind words with us. We've had sort of a tough week here in Support (full moon? Who knows.) and this really made our day brighter. We wanted to thank you with a 20% off discount on your account, so I've gone ahead and applied that. Thanks again and let us know if there's anything you need help with.
[Awesome user support person]
April 22, 2010 11:18 AM:
Wow--I certainly had no expectation of a discount, and I'm very grateful. Thank you! Teh awesome, indeed. I'm glad I could brighten your day--you and your colleagues brighten mine all the time. Thanks again.
Ed
So, what does it mean to be an infectious agent of enthusiasm? Among other things, it means creating opportunities to focus on the many positive experiences we often take for granted.
What does it look like in practice? It's pretty simple--a heartfelt (and unexpected) "Thank you!" can go a long way.
And what results can we expect? Brightening someone else's day can brighten yours in turn.