Will You Change Someone’s World Today?

What do you do for a living? I’m not asking for your job title, or even your job description. I’m asking about impact, about making a difference. I’m talking about changing someone’s world.

A few years ago, Karen and I dined at Ferraro’s, the incredible Italian restaurant right on the beach at the Four Seasons Hotel in Wailea, Maui. The evening was spectacular. We had a table overlooking the beach, and with all the other guests, we literally applauded the most amazing sunset I’ve ever seen. It was a night I’ll remember always.

Our waiter was outstanding. Engaging but respectful, friendly but not gushy – just what you would want for the occasion. At the end of the meal as he was pouring the last of the wine, I said to this gentleman, “You look like you really enjoy your job.”

He stopped in the middle of the pour and looked me in the eye. “Mr. Shore, I have the best job in the world.”

That sounded like hyperbole to me, but there was a conviction that could not be ignored. “Why do you say that?” I asked.

“Because people do not come to this hotel because they are tired, and they do not come to my restaurant because they are hungry. Our guests are looking for a memory they will enjoy for the rest of their lives. And I help that dream come true.” With that, he casually poured the rest of the wine.

I wonder if today you can see your own job as more than a job. I wonder if you can see your responsibility as more than making money for you and your company. More than selling a product and getting the rush of the ‘yes’. Would you be willing today to look more closely at the people who are walking through your door and recognizing that you do, in fact, change people’s world?

You might be thinking to yourself, “Change people’s world? That’s a bit over the top, isn’t it?” And I would suggest that every new customer encounter is a new opportunity to make a difference, as was the case with our waiter. That next prospect doesn’t want a necklace; she wants to look magnificent. That guy doesn’t want life insurance; he wants his wife to sleep well knowing that she is taken care of. In other words, people don’t just buy products – they buy something more, something life-changing.

Nido Qubein puts it this way. “People don’t buy products; they buy the products of the products.” In other words, it’s not about the product itself, but rather about what the product produces: happiness, peace-of-mind, exhilaration, comfort. The sales professional who understands this has the profound insight into the life-changing opportunities the customer seeks.

What would it take to get the next person through your door to see you in the same incredible light as I saw my waiter in Hawaii? Will they see your passion? Will they see your commitment to excellence? Will they see someone who passionately cares?

Will you change someone’s world today?