Things I’m learning about Jane at the jewelry store and being a linchpin:
Every day, we go through the motions. We all have some version of our own routines and habits, goals and to-do lists, commitments, obligations, hobbies, and other activities. The reality is that the moments that become our memories, journal entries, and Instagram posts don’t happen every day. Most days are simply average.
That’s not to say that we can’t find joy in the activities that an ordinary day requires. We can. But that’s not what I’m writing about today. The fact is that if you’re anything like me, things like running to the grocery store, returning something at Target for my wife, or sneaking enough time to swing through Chipotle between meetings are rarely events that any of us would describe as inspiring or enjoyable.
But why not?
Darren at the print shop
I had an incredibly hardworking team member named Darren who worked for my custom apparel company. He worked in our Nashville screen-printing production facility, where the long Tennessee summers made our shop (and subsequently, many of our team members) miserably hot and understandably uncomfortable. On the very hottest summer days that the 615 area code threw our way, it wasn’t uncommon for some to publicly announce their feelings, call in sick, or otherwise make it known that they weren’t excited to be at work. In stark contrast, Darren remained a steadfast example of humility, hard work, and kindness no matter how high the temperature climbed.
Darren taught me a lot. While my position on the company org chart technically meant our team members looked up to my position, it was I who looked up to him with tremendous respect. I learned a lot from Darren as he taught all of us many lessons in leadership; perhaps my favorite of all of them was a casual phrase that he used regularly, not only in conversation, but his actions. It was almost as if it were a compass that guided his life and decisions: “Do it with excellence.”
Jane at the jewelry store
Before my wife said “yes” when I presented her with a tiny, shiny circle housed inside a recognizably blue cardboard box, I had the experience of visiting countless jewelry stores in search of “the perfect one.” Anyone who’s ever gone jewelry shopping can likely relate to the miserable process such a task requires one to endure. (If you’ve never bought an engagement ring, then just imagine the last time you went furniture shopping and you’ll know what I mean).
Like vultures, the salespeople were unanimously overwhelming and overbearing from my first step inside the door. They didn’t listen. They didn’t ask meaningful questions. They didn’t care about me, my elaborate plan to propose in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, or any details I tried to share about what I was looking for. They were simply after a sale.
And then there was Jane.
Like an angel appearing in the middle of a chain store in Green Hills, TN, her entrance will forever be etched in my memory as a heavenly experience, not visibly, but emotionally so. As circumstance would have it, I had already found the perfect ring at another store. Communicating that up front, I expected her to move along and help another customer who might actually be purchasing something expensive enough to merit a big sales commission. It seemed to prompt the opposite.
She asked meaningful and sincere questions with genuine curiosity, wanting to know all about the special girl who had me running all over town, where we met, the plan for the proposal, and even the ring… that I bought somewhere else. Upon discovering I had it with me in the car, she begged me to run and grab it so she could see how beautiful it was. A quick trip to the parking lot and back led to another unexpected moment.
She inspected the ring carefully, then excused herself for a couple of minutes to clean and polish it. She wanted it to sparkle under the lights of Paris.
Jane never asked for anything. She didn’t even try to give me a business card for future purchases. She took every opportunity to add value at every turn, offering delight and surprise, selflessly.
Seth Godin, a brilliant writer and thinker, has a name for the kind of people who do their work and live their lives this way: a linchpin, the subject of his book Linchpin. He challenges us to become “indispensable”: to make ourselves more valuable by consistently finding ways to add value to the lives of others.
Arturo at Costa Vida
I was reminded of my positive experience with Jane at the jewelry store yesterday while ordering lunch in Utah. At a fast-casual restaurant called Costa Vida, I was pleasantly surprised by a friendly greeting from behind the counter. This was more than just an enthusiastic “hi!” There was a sincerity and intention in his voice that I heard echo throughout the cafe as each new person stepped forward to place their order.
I watched the man with “Arturo” on his name tag proceed through the lunch rush, preparing food for customers, jumping in to support his teammates, and never missing a beat. His moves were quick, but calculated. Full of both vigor and craftsmanship, quality and excellence.
By the time I finished lunch, the rush had dissipated. On my way out, I stopped to pay a compliment to Arturo, to let him know I appreciated the way he did his job with excellence and care for both the customers and teammates. I thanked him for such a positive experience and reflected on the way that he was able to transform such an ordinary experience into an extraordinary one.
Therein lies the opportunity we all have. The secret that Darren, Jane, Seth Godin, and Arturo have figured out is that we can choose to sell jewelry, print t-shirts, write books, or prepare taco salads with excellence. We can choose to follow the status quo, or we can choose to redefine it. And the best part is that we can start now. And if we screw it up today, we can choose to try again tomorrow. We can be ordinary people doing extraordinary things.