Recently, I had a remarkable experience that demonstrated that everyone in the room mattered. I facilitated a session for eighty-plus Executive MBA students and alums at the Rotman School of Business, University of Toronto. The experience was artfully executed and reinforced their brand of excellence. From the Director who orchestrated the event to the IT specialist who ensured a seamless and engaging experience for the audience and myself!
It was clear that ‘getting the job done’ was not the mindset at play here. ‘Just getting the job done’ is a role of FUNCTION that typically meets expectations. FUNCTION does not stir people’s emotions or have them take notice.
THE ‘HOW’ IS A CHOICE
The experience they artfully curated took being intentional, planning and awareness. It was a choice to move away from simply getting the job done to intentionally crafting an experience for others, going beyond what was expected. They operated from a space of thinking of others that elevated them to being REMARKABLE.
“Remarkable is defined as ‘worthy of attention’. It is packed with the small details and actions that make a difference for others.”
If you consider the people you admire, they are not the people who are simply doing what it takes to get the job done. They are stepping out of their comfort zones and creating something that is out of the ordinary ~ something remarkable!
Be it a product they are developing, a project they are involved with, or an experience they are creating. It’s all done with others in mind.
It is typically people who play big, take risks and consider others like Mother Teresa, who selflessly cared for others without expecting anything in return. Or Nelson Mandela fearlessly standing for what he believed in, even in the face of adversity. Mark Zuckerberg did initially with Facebook, giving us a new way of communicating what we do with others. Or Oprah when she stepped out of the typical talk show model and decided to offer content that inspires and feeds the soul.
It can also come from people you interact with and know in your own life. Clients say they admire the leaders who courageously share their personal stories and are transparent. They are not famous, but they, too, are taking risks, owning up to their mistakes, deciding to live life on their terms, being inclusive, and demonstrating respect for others no matter what their title is or how successful they become.
Admiration and being remarkable are accomplished by moving beyond the minimum requirements. It comes from knowing who you are and being willing to create an experience that positively impacts others.
CLARIFYING THE DIFFERENCE
To move from being functional to remarkable, it is essential to know the difference.
FUNCTIONAL Brand – You are good at what you do. You are practical and execute a process or task well. You continually work at being functional by increasing your ability to perform a task more efficiently. You become known for what you can do.
REMARKABLE Brand – You are aligned with what you create. You consciously work to deliver an extraordinary experience and get noticed for producing results that matter. When you are remarkable, you pull out all the stops and deliver an experience that exceeds expectations. You become known for your part in making things happen and inspiring others.
MAKING REMARKABLE MOVES
Here are seven straightforward moves that demonstrate how to shift from being functional to being remarkable:
#1 Move away from strictly positioning what you do and start to talk about the benefits that you create by doing what you do. Where you land, the results carry more weight than the process of what you do.
#2 Move away from seeing yourself as a doer and begin to see yourself for the value you offer. You need to make the first move and create the link.
#3 Move away from a limiting mentality, ‘this is the way it has always been done’ or doing just what is requested and open your mind to the needs being voiced, providing an opportunity to deliver a solution that moves the needle past the expectation.
#4 Move away from being transactional in your interactions and begin to develop strong, meaningful relationships.
#5 Move away from expecting others to do things a certain way and begin to appreciate the results they achieve.
#6 Move away from being ‘me focused’ in what you are doing to creating the experience you want others to have.
#7 Move away from doing what everyone else is doing, and be the best version of you!
When you implement these moves, how you see yourself and the perceptions others have of you will change. Elevating who you are and being known for the value you add, not just for what you do.
YOUR MOVE
Review the list of seven and, on a scale from one to ten, how do you rate? Do you lean closer to one/two/three, which is currently being engaged in the ‘move away’ behaviour? Or are you over the halfway marker but not fully owning how remarkable you can be?
Choose the one you don’t fully own and work on implementing the behaviours that will move you up to a ten. Once you have that mastered, choose the next one that will move the needle for you.
Remarkable brands get noticed, and you are worthy of that attention!! You have it in you!
Align yourself with what matters most to you. Live your brand fully expressed with intention and purpose to play bigger!
Are you interested in having a conversation to explore how you can define your personal brand and accelerate your growth as a leader, individually or as a team? Send an email to book a complimentary 30-minute consultation.
