I have two best friends. I know, some people may say you’re only supposed to give one person this title, but I have two and I am very lucky - AND they are fully aware of each other and also love seeing each other, so it’s all good.
In addition to having these two hilarious, smart, caring, the list could go on people in my life, we also love pulling off surprises and having one or two of us show up in spaces we would not expect.
Recently, we made it happen again. It was best friend ONE’s (Mark) birthday and I was flying home to not only hang out with my oldies, but also to hang out with best friend ONE for his birthday (he knew I was coming into town). BUT, it was the perfect opportunity for best friend number TWO (Rose) to show up without number ONE knowing.
Best friend number TWO and I were able to arrange our flight arrival at the Cleveland airport within 8 minutes of each other - and the surprise was on - she and I hopped in an Uber and arrived at number ONE’s favorite watering hole to pull off the heist.
SUCCESS!! Number ONE was surprised, elated, teary-eyed and couldn’t stop smiling - it was worth it.
However, it doesn’t stop here. I never told my oldies that number TWO was coming into town to also see them. The day after the birthday celebration, number ONE, TWO, and myself drive to the oldies house. Number ONE and I stash number TWO on the side of the house for a minute to ensure both the oldies are in the house.
Number ONE and I enter the house to assess the environment, they are both in the living room. I then lie about leaving my cell phone in the car and go back outside and ultimately bring in number TWO for the second surprise.
SUCCESS!!! The oldies' jaws dropped to the floor, more smiles, more happiness, and more teary-eyed loved ones.
From Left to Right (The Oldies & Parents): Mom, Rose, Dad
Why write about these surprises? Because moments matter. They matter in life and in work life.
As we get caught up in our own moments, it’s easy for us to say we don’t have the time, we are too tired, or it won’t matter. However, most of you that know me, know that I am a big believer in making moments matter - not only for the jaw dropping reactions, but because it brings out a sense of belonging and creates healthy spaces - and this sense of belonging will impact your work spaces.
One of my famous phrases in all my workshops is - Every interaction with those you work with is an opportunity to build (or break down) the relationship.
This does not mean you have to pull off major surprises where you are coordinating flights, creeping down sidewalks with your suitcases, stashing people on the side of the house, etc. to make moments happen.
Rather, moments can be small gestures. If someone crosses your mind that you already know or if you are interested in learning more about someone - make the moment happen.
Ask a colleague for lunch or coffee for no reason. And there is nothing wrong with a Zoom Coffee Talk.
Walk down to someone’s office vs. “pinging” them through an online platform.
Send a hand-written note vs. an email.
Send a video message in lieu of a text message (makes a little bit better impact).
Bring a colleague/friend a sweet treat (one of my personal favorites).
Send a colleague, who may be in the middle of a big project, a box of cookies from Insomnia or another local spot.
Host a Cheftorial to bring folks together from ALL over the world into one space - they have EPIC chefs and menus to share a VERY cool experience with people located across the globe. And you will be pleasantly surprised at how well people virtually connect via this experience.
Host a five minute pop up sing-a-long via Zoom (click HERE for a sample) - you will NOT be disappointed in the outcome, it’s so bad it’s good - be sure to hit the record button.
Or simply, make the phone call you keep saying you need to make.
FYI - I met number ONE and number TWO, both in professional settings, 25 and 27 years ago. We have never stopped making moments happen and these moments matter.
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