Workplace Multiplier by Tola Akinsulire

Tuesday Edition: October 22, 2024

Welcome to the Workplace Multiplier newsletter. Published every Tuesday & Friday, we discover something crucial to help us on the way to winning at work and in life.

Why Will Future You Be Better

Last week, my family and I spent the weekend at a resort we have been visiting for about four years.

We have even taken friends there.

It’s not a huge fancy establishment with a five-star billing. It’s a rather quaint lovely resort.

One thing that has amazed us as a family is how they keep improving their service since the first time we were there.

They have always added a new layer of service to improve our stay experience. We have become regulars and some of the staff already know us.

But this is not just a case of “We know these people and so we have to do something for them.”

Naa…they have been raising their game.

From the meal options on display, it is clear their chef has been adding a new layer of improvement to what guests can expect. The first night we were there this time, I told myself I was going to sample everything they offered for dinner. I forgot to mention that every meal is always served on a buffet.

I did not get through all the options but all the ones I sampled were lovely on the taste buds. I am not a huge fan of olives but for some strange reason, I gleefully ate most of the olives that came with some of the salads I sampled.

The Maître d' and his staff try to anticipate guest needs in a comforting way. It feels like you are hanging out at a friend’s place who just wants to make you feel like this is not their place. Rather, it’s your second home that you just pop in to rest your back and kick your feet up to let yourself go into.

Why did I spend all this time telling you about a place I have not mentioned its name, in case you are now convinced to visit it?

Well, this is the sort of experience you can offer the people you serve and work with at the workplace.

The experience of service your future self offers must be better than the one your current self offers at the moment.

This is one of the reasons why people will be willing to open doors for you to access opportunities you have not thought about.

When people can be sure that you will always raise your game to meet the expectations of the moment, they will trust you enough to give you access to deep relationships that they cherish.

I will not leave you without a bit of homework to set you on your merry way to creating a higher level of service through your future self.

Permit me to give you a sampling of seven questions to help you:

1. Am I consistently seeking to improve? This is a simple one to let you discover if you are making room for growth in your skills, knowledge, or approach.

2. How am I anticipating the needs of others? This is a simple reminder for you to be proactive in addressing potential issues or exceeding expectations.

3. Am I creating a welcoming and personalised experience? This will set you up to always try to make people feel valued and appreciated. Everyone is unique and has their unique pull-button. Find and use that button well and you will pull them into your world.

4. Am I continuously learning and adapting? This is your way of reminding yourself to stay updated and in touch with your industry trends and best practices. If the rules of offside have changed, why are you still behaving like a defender from the days of Fernando Hierro of Real Madrid?

5. Am I building strong relationships? What more do I need to say about this? You already know that you need to nurture trust and loyalty with your colleagues and customers. The real deal is “How well are you doing it?”

6. Am I paying attention to the details? Yes, they say “Don’t sweat the small stuff?” But sometimes these small touches can make a big difference in the experience you provide - don’t take your eyes off them.

7. Am I striving for excellence in everything I do? Don’t work to the level of the standards around you if they are so low. Set high standards for yourself and your work.

I once had a member of my team tell me something that made me see that money doesn’t answer the most important need for everyone.

He was in negotiations with the Human Capital Management (HCM) team for the compensation that would come with a new role he was taking in the company.

As you can imagine in these sorts of negotiations, this is strictly between the staff and HCM. Towards the end of their negotiations, the staff sent me an email. He said he had decided to accept the offer by HCM even though it was lower than his expectations because “He had bought into my vision.” He further said he believed it was his “duty to support me and make my task easier.”

It’s these sorts of people that remind me to raise my game every day. I cannot let them just trust in the leader I was. They must be able to see that I will be the leader they need when we get into the future.

I am committed to raising my service game every day.

I look forward to you raising your game too.

For today.

And for your future self.

Tola Akinsulire

I am a Workplace Multiplier.

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Want to get in on some of the lessons I have picked up in my career? Get my eBook "21 Lessons I Learned in My Career - A Primer to Help you Become Better at Work". Get it here

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