Do Not Wait To Be Told What To Do

Great leaders are great because they have surrounded themselves with followers who not only get things done and get them done with excellence but also find things that need to be done and accomplish them before they are told to do so.

Performing to the best of one’s ability in the eyes of the boss is easy—just plan to always exceed the boss’ expectations. Do not wait for the boss to tell you to do something; anticipate it and do it before the request comes. Determine the need that must be met, the problem that must be solved, and take responsibility for it before it becomes an issue. Most importantly, do it better than it has ever been done before.

Consider what extra touches your boss would like and then add those to the job or project. Always shoot for doing more than is expected, do it as the boss likes it done and ahead of schedule.

You will soon be recognized as the one who never fails to deliver. What kind of boss or leader would not want someone like you on his or her team?

Do Not Wait to Be Told What to Do

I have seen these principles at work many times, a few instances stand out in my memory.

During my lifetime, I calculate that I have eaten more than 89,000 meals, but there are very few times I remember receiving service that went above and beyond all expectations. Out of 89,000, I will never forget one meal.

A few years ago while traveling in Pennsylvania, my wife and I stopped for lunch at a family-owned restaurant.

We had the pleasure of being served by a truly excellent waitress—let’s call her Cindy. She immediately recognized that we had never been there before and set about making us feel at home. She told us about their fabulous food, including bread, pies, and pastry baked on the premises.

Her attention to detail exceeded our expectations. She anticipated our every desire. The food was perfect and the service was outstanding. Even though we were older than Cindy, she insisted on referring to us as “you kids.”

When she handed us our check, she invited us to return, and she gave us a hug and a kiss on the cheek!

That meal is what I call a memorable experience. Cindy did more than we expected; she did not wait to be told what to do. I wish Cindy could serve us lunch again tomorrow.

I am certain Cindy’s boss did not tell her to give us a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She took responsibility and did not wait to be told what to do. She did more than was expected and created a wonderfully memorable customer experience.

You can create memorable experiences if you do not wait to be told what to do and if you do it better than expected.

Do Not Wait to Be Told What to Do

Jimmy Collins

Want to find out more? My new book, Jimmy’s Stories is now available on Amazon: https://a.co/5wfFRaK