19 Jan The Power of the Little Things
You don’t need to be John Cusack holding a boombox outside of someone’s window to get their attention. That’s going big. That’s what most people are aiming for today.
More followers. Louder noise. Bigger…. everything. They believe that the best way to win sales or lead effectively is to go BIGGER in everything.
The truth is, our biggest leadership influences are found in the smallest things that we do.
Our inboxes are overwhelmed every single day with sales pitches, coworkers’ requests, and spam. The last thing that stands out to us is another email from someone wanting our attention or to thank us.
But a handwritten card delivered in the mail? That gets attention because:
- It stands out where an email would get lost in the clutter
- It signifies someone sat down and took the time to craft a note to you (a rarity in today’s age of go-go-go rush)
- It better conveys the gratitude in a thank you. An email is ok. A text message is so-so. A phone call is good. A handwritten card? Great.
And it’s just a little thing to sit down and write a thank you card, but so few do it that by doing so you’ll stand out.
There is great power in doing the little things to stand out. Take for instance:
In sales, little things that can change your success rate include…
- Taking the time to actually research the prospect before copy/paste & sending another template outreach.
- Adding value before asking for a sale
- Following up offline to get a prospect’s attention (like the thank-you card)
In leadership, little things that can increase your influence include…
- Investing time each week to better get to know a team member’s life outside of the office. Want your team to perform better at work? Make time to connect with their heart first so you can get to their head.
- Taking fifteen minutes to hop on a quick Zoom with a mentee & help them in a way you wish someone had for you twenty years ago.
- Creating a piece of content (blog, podcast, video) each week to share your thoughts on recent industry news or how your team has handled a specific situation. (You might think the Internet is overcrowded with this type of content, but it’s not. There are a ton of consumers, yet still not many creators)
In life, little things that can improve your overall experience here on earth, like…
- Once a month picking up the person behind you in line’s coffee just because, and encourage them to pay it forward.
- Working out 20 minutes a day. It doesn’t have to be much, but moving your body every single day will improve everything – your consistency, your health, & your mindset.
- Picking up the phone every week and actually calling a friend to check in on them. Texting is overrated. Sometimes, people just need to hear your voice.
All are small, little personal touches that most people believe they’re too busy to take time to make today. Yet, it’s the small personal touch that best stands out among the clutter.
Business and leadership are both at their core about trust & relationships – and the best way to build both are one-on-one. To increase how BIG your influence grows this year, focus on how much smaller you can act each day to bridge the gap to those you’re wanting to serve or lead.
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