Creative Energy Officer

I was in an airport recently and trying to get some quick lunch before getting onto a connecting flight.

For those who have not flown in the past decade, let me translate that sentence:

I was in an out outer ring of hell with thousands of other disconnected souls, and I decided to get indigestible chunks of preservative-laden, fried stuff on a stick to grant me some release from my misery.

Airports suck, and airport food sucks even more.

I know that there are folks out there that always look for the positive…well, I would encourage you to spend sometime in these way-stations. Travelers are away from their families, in a hurry, and angry about all the security. On top of that, I was nearly unable to get my fatty sustenance because the person at the taco-themed counter hated being there too.

In the midst of this suffering, here is what came to mind:

Airports are an awesome opportunity for a breakthrough approach to doing business. Imagine if you had a fresh idea to offer the most vibrant service. Your only mission would be to make people smile while in something called a terminal…using nearly whatever (reasonable) means possible. Plus, you could charge a fortune and business-class travelers could expense it.

All around me, though, I see managers taking the opposite approach. Instead of empowering employees to think differently and to make their business more approachable, managers punish their employees for exhibiting behavior that is welcoming and magnetic…or just plain human.

Airports desperately need a wienie.

Seth Godin recently posted about Mark Ramsey’s take on the necessity of a wienie.

Mark retells a story about old man Disney working on a draft plan for the 1964 World’s Fair “Carousel of Progress.” The GE executives loved the preview of the show, but Walt wasn’t quite satisfied – “It doesn’t have a wienie. Come back in a few weeks, and I’ll show you,” he said. Upon their return, the executives noticed that Walt added an animatronic dog with a wagging tail.

Here is Mark’s take on the wienie:

It was the “wienie.” The “finishing touch.” The delightful, magnetic bonus. Wienies are extra. Wienies are what you give the audience after they think they’re already satisfied. Wienies are what you add when what you have is good – but not good enough.”

Airport vendors have the awesome opportunity to offer something beyond expectation because really expectations are quite low. There is plenty of room for a wienie.

Your organization needs a wienie.

In the midst of an economy where people are slashing budgets, leaders can make their company stand out by offering that something extra that helps people understand more about you and how you do business. Plus, a wienie helps your customers to understand that you don’t take yourself so seriously.

HOMEWORK:

• What’s your wienie?
• What are you doing that no one else can touch in your industry?
• How are you adding a magnetic bonus?

WARNING:

This is not about wearing an obligatory 15 pieces of flare. This is about a genuine way to engage your customers beyond their expectations in a way that they may not even notice…a subtlety that is authentic to you and your business. Be proud to be a wienie.

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Jeremy Nulik, Creative Energy Officer (CEO), St. Louis Small Business Monthly