Each Friday, I would like to share with you one of my “Recommended Reads” – something I have been reading recently that I think is worth sharing. I am a pretty avid reader – about a book a week. I try to keep a balance to my reading mixing self-improvement, fiction and non-fiction. I love reading for pleasure (my latest pleasure reads have been the fun Young Adult series – Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse) but I know the importance of reading in my chosen field (homebased business, sales, recruiting, leadership, time management etc.). You may have read the studies that show that reading 1 hour a day in your chosen field (which is about a book a week – except for us speed readers) will make you an expert in your field in 3 years, a national authority in 5 years and an international authority in 7 years. Truly all leaders are readers!
Several weeks ago I received a phone call from the mother of one of my daughter Tessa’s friends. She was calling to thank me for something Tessa had done. It was the first week of school and her daughter, along with my daughter Tessa, were just starting high school – freshman, in a very large high school – 2,600 students. Her daughter had had a rough couple of “first days” of school, feeling overwhelmed, lost and coming home in tears. Tessa knew that Katie was having a hard time so she decided to leave Katie a surprise in her locker. She put a plate of cookies together (I had just made some homemade cookies) and wrote her a note – letting her know she was thinking of her and hoped that she was having a better day. Tessa had the combination to Katie’s locker so left it inside her locker. Well, Tessa’s act of service made the difference in Katie’s day and Katie’s mother’s day! Tessa was a Fred! So what is a Fred?
A book I recently read and recommend is ”The Fred Factor” by Mark Sanborn. To quote the inside cover of the book, “In his powerful new book, The Fred Factor, motivational speaker Mark Sanborn recounts the true story of Fred, the mail carrier who passionately loves his job and genuinely cares about the the people he serves…Where others might see delivering mail as monotonous drudgery, Fred sees an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those he serves.”
We have all experienced great customer service and terrible customer service -Fred is a true example of what great customer service is. But the book didn’t just get me thinking about times when I had experienced great customer service but made me stop and think – what kind of customer service do I give?- to my customers, my downline team members, my family and my friends? Like Tessa and Fred, do I make a difference in the lives of those I come in contact with daily?
Each of us has the opportunity every day to make a difference, in fact we all make a difference – the question is “What kind of difference is each of us making?” Mark Sanborn outlines 3 difference-making strategies.
1. Identify when you’ll make a difference- we have dozens of opportunities each day to make a difference in the lives of those around us. Be conscious of wanting to make a difference and look for opportunities to make a difference. Sometimes it may be a planned “difference” or it may be a spontaneous “difference” – either way we are making a difference.
2. Target the people to whom you’ll make a difference – Fred the mailman chose to make a difference to the people he delivered mail to each day. Tessa chose her friend Katie. The most important people in our lives deserve our best attention and service – our customers, our team members, our family, our friends. I know when I am rushed, stressed and under pressure it is usually those closest to me that get my worst “customer service”.
3. Be the Difference- it’s the little things that really matter. So often we are so busy and stressed that we don’t take the time or make the effort to make a difference in someones life. Adding a little goodie into a customer’s order, putting a note in a child’s lunch, leaving a “I’m thankful for you because” voice mail for a friend, or cookies and a note in their locker can really “Be the difference” in someones day.
One of the most important things we have as homebased business women, the thing that really sets us apart from our “retail competition”, is the difference we can make in our customers lives. Whether it is leaving an extra little something with their product order, sending a note to remember a birthday or other special event in their life, or remembering some seemingly unimportant little details we have the ability to make a difference - we are the difference. As mothers we are also the difference – in the lives of our children, our husbands and our family members.
So pick up a copy of “The Fred Factor” or go online and request it from your local library. It is quick read at 112 pages. Let me know what you think and if you’d like to share a way someone made a difference in your day or how you were able to “Be the Difference” I’d love to hear – just click on comments below.
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Thanks for the nice review of my book, The Fred Factor!
One of the key concepts you mention in your review is the important of differentiation. The key is to outthink rather than outspend the competition.
By the way, like you, I balance fiction with non-fiction reading.
Thanks so much for sharing fun books to read and some great recipes. I love reading what you have to say and am planning on reading some of your recommendations. Being raised by a Wilkes mom, our family LOVES food too!!! Thanks!
I will be sure and read the Fred Factor. I find it’s one thing to reach out to those we know, are comfortable with, or who are in our same station in life, but… Several years ago we heard an old friend of ours had a church on 2nd and Burnside. We went to look him up. We were out of our element, but when we reached out to get to know the people there we were blown away by the love that made us family despite our many differences. We stayed there working with him/them about 4 years until we moved to Newberg. When we stepped outside our comfort zone to get to know those whom we knew nothing about (alcoholics, addicts, homeless, broken, lonely, hungry and even dying) we were changed greatly by those we thought we were there to help!! People are people no matter what their circumstances – we love our street family. If you ever get down that way – introduce yourself to Pastor Charles Moore and tell him Sondi sent you. You’ll love him. He was a heroin addict for YEARS until he was Liberated and now he’s there for others at LIBERATION STREET CHURCH.