May is here! The birds are chirping loudly, the days are getting long and warm, and I was happy to be waking up in my own bed. I was reflecting, thinking about how special spring is. I was also thinking about my recent trip and all I had learned.

My thoughts where bopping all around and then one stuck. It was how important everyone in an  organization, or business, is. No matter what their status or position, they are extremely important. As a leader, you need to recognize that every touchpoint with a customer or consumer is incredibly important, and ultimately, your responsibility.

The reason this thought was gaining momentum is that I’d just come off a 10-day business trip. It felt pretty long, with meetings in four cities from coast to coast. While enjoying the birds chirping and the Southern California sunrise, I felt compelled to tell you the story of “Rosie”.

Last Friday, I had meetings in Bentonville, Arkansas, but needed to be in New York by Monday. So, rather than flying back and forth to San Diego, I stayed in Dallas at the Za Za Hotel. It was a cool, kinda hip place, and had a great, positive energy that helped me stay at 35,000 feet. But, as I reflected on my stay, the most incredible thing about that experience was one particular women who worked for the hotel’s housekeeping staff. Let’s call her “Rosie”. My first morning there, I ran into her on the elevator. I asked her how she was, and she said with a big smile, “Fantastic!”

I was blown away. I smiled and said, “That’s my line!” And then we both started laughing. By then, the elevator was opening and she was walking along beside me and she told me that she comes up with a positive word everyday and uses it all day. I immediately asked her what her word for tomorrow would be, and she said, with that big smile, “Awesome!” Then I said, “OK, then I will be extraordinary!”  Then she said, “Fantastic,” and quickly walked on.

I was kinda shaking my head with delight, not sure I wanted her to leave. It seemed crazy to me, how this women in a maid’s uniform, had transformed the attitude of the entire multi-million dollar hotel, and did it better than the sharply dressed concierge or even the front desk people.

Later, having a cup of coffee at a little table outside of the hotel restaurant, I couldn’t help but reflect on how the manager of this hotel probably had no idea how special this women is. How much she made my morning, and probably did the same for a lot of others, not to mention keeping the spirits of the housekeeping staff upbeat and positive.

Then, I thought about all of the touchpoints businesses have with their consumers, and asked myself, what if you could assure that every interaction with your consumer could be as fantastic as mine was with “Rosie”? What if there where no call centers, just real people, with genuine concern, and real skin in the game? What if you had motivated employees, at every touchpoint, no matter what the particular business is? What if you had a positive word, everyday —like

fantastic, awesome, extraordinary — that you asked all of your employees to use for the entire day?

Well, I am going to start with the month of May, and would like anyone reading this (Hi, Mom!) to  do something for the entire month of May, and that is… drum roll please…  Let’s be Marvelous in May!

So, when anyone ask you how you are doing you are not just “good”, you’re “MARVELOUS!”

Upon my departure from the hotel, I saw a women, on her hands and knees, cleaning the marble floor in front of the elevator. Guess who it was? Yup! (Who could have written the script?) It was Rosie, and I asked how her how she was doing, and she looked right in my eyes and said, with that big smile, “Awesome!” I thanked her, and at that moment, as I walked to my car, I thanked God for Rosie.

What if a consumer walked away from your brand, your business, or your institution and said, “Thank God for your business”? Now that would indeed be Marvelous!

Onward…

AZ