Bestselling author Mark Sanborn opened
his segment of Homecoming’s Evening Session by telling the crowd in the
auditorium of Vickie Anne Palmer Hall that he’s a “believer in
chiropractic,” having gone to a chiropractor for the past 20 years. He
also said that he appreciated the chiropractic profession’s belief in
lifelong learning, noting that the root of philosophy—“philos”—means
“love of knowledge.”
Throughout
his presentation, the customer service and leadership consultant
stressed how a desire to learn can help us improve the way we work and
live. No matter what we do, we can master how to take a job that may
seem ordinary and make it extraordinary, he said.
Mr.
Sanborn also said that if we’re looking for someone to inspire us to do
better, we probably don’t have to look very far. He illustrated this by
sharing some of the enlightening conversations he’s had with a postal
carrier named Fred, whose passion for his job is exceeded only by the
compassion he feels for his customers. This dedication to helping others
led Mr. Sanborn to write the bestseller, “The Fred Factor.
”Within
days of Mr. Sanborn moving into his first home, Fred stopped by to
introduce himself and welcome the new homeowner to the neighborhood.
“I
can’t ever recall getting an introduction from a postal carrier,” said
Mr. Sanborn, adding that Fred even offered to use the speaker’s travel
schedule to determine which days to deliver his mail and which days to
save it. Fred’s concern was that Mr. Sanborn’s mail would pile up and
signal to burglars that no one was at home.
“A professional is someone who cares more about you than you do,” the author said. “Fred, he’s the postal professional.”
Mr.
Sanborn stressed that we can acquire some of the skills of the Freds of
the world by following four principles. The first principle he
advocates is making a real difference every day, which he illustrated by
referring to a number of Fred’s customers who have responded to Fred’s
devotion to them by developing a great amount of devotion to him.
The
second principle the speaker encouraged the audience to follow was that
one can only become successful by building strong relationships. As
Fred once told Mr. Sanborn, “I don’t think of the people on my route as
customers. I think of them as friends.”
The
third principle stresses that it’s possible to create value for others
without spending any additional money. He reflected on a Starbuck’s
employee who went out of her way—and out of the store—to give the author
good directions to his next destination.
The
final principle Mr. Sanborn urged everyone to follow was that we must
constantly reinvent ourselves. Mr. Sanborn said that by learning from
others and about ourselves, we will grow as individuals and be better
able to serve others.
Mr. Sanborn
closed by urging members of the audience to gain a healthy appreciation
for their work. Said the speaker, “I hope you love what you do. If you
do, they you’re already a Fred.”
Check out the photo gallery for the Mark Sanborn session.