I appreciate the Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal and the other 900 lb gorillas in the world of business credibility. They have a lot of valuable content that can help people with their businesses. But sometimes we get too technical in terms of trying to succeed.
An interesting thing happens when you’re in business for a while and you ponder from time to time on what makes people and their companies successful. I sometimes have an annoying habit of reducing things to the absurd. So here’s one of my absurd reductions: successful people and businesses make people happy.
At first glance this may sound obvious…but it’s not. Think of some of your recent interactions in stores, online and with people in a position to serve you in some way. Everything they do should be focused on making you as happy as possible. Did they?
Making people happy isn’t that hard. Smile and sincerely appreciate them. Do what you say you’re going to do when you say that you’re going to do it. Under-promise and over-deliver. Go above and beyond because you value your customers.
Don’t sweat it if you don’t have any letters after your name. You don’t need any. Concentrate on making sure that every interaction with another person is as delightful as possible. Make people happy. Happy people come back. Happy people tell their friends about you. Happy people are a pleasure to be with. And what you give out comes back to you. Making people happy makes you happy. Nice how that works, huh?