Standing Out

I was doing some shopping last weekend at one of those big box stores better known as Costco. As I got to the cashier line, I noticed a difference among the cashiers. Some of them stood out more to me than the others. It seemed those who stood out were enjoying their job while providing good customer service.

Those who didn't stand out were just OK, and seemed as if they didn't want to be there and couldn't wait until their shift was over. They were not showing any urgency in taking care of the customers and looked distracted with other things.

Later, as I thought about my business career, I realized how quickly I could remember the people that stood out for me. There were always a handful of sales people who stood out above everyone else. There were always a few engineers and project managers who stood out to me and I will always remember them. There were always a small number of people in the support services such as Accounting and IT who stood out for me which I always turned to them. Also as I look amongst my family, friends and others in my social circle, I clearly see some people stand out more than others.

So why some people stand out and some don’t? After some thinking and study, I found these principles to be helpful in standing out.

• Be polite and respectful. People always remember the person who respected them and were polite to them; make sure that person is you.
• Think before talking. When talking, it is important to come across as self-assured and knowledgeable, so be sure to have done your research and know your facts before you open up your mouth.
• Take risks and work hard. Many people won't take risks because they're afraid of failure. Yet, without failure nothing new can be gained and it is only those who are willing to take risks and to work hard at their dreams who eventually succeed and stand out. Nothing – nothing – is a substitute for hard work.
• Do what you say you'll do. People who stand out from the crowd are people who keep their word and follow up their promises. Reliability makes you memorable and causes you to stand well above all the forgotten promise-breakers.
• Display initiative. Standing out from the crowd often means that you take action while everyone else stands back. Be the first to point out what's working and what’s not, and how to make the most of what's great and improve on what's not. If you see someone in trouble, don't assume they're getting help. Stop and help.
• Dress tastefully and accordingly. Clothing speaks in its own way, and a well-tailored outfit that fits you perfectly is bound to have people notice you. Not dressing for the occasion will make you stand out negatively.
• Keep a good posture. The person who stands out from the crowd will also stand tall, no matter their height. Just remind yourself to stand up straight, to keep your chin up, and to make eye contact with others. This is a sign of confidence.
• Be attentive. The greatest honor you can give another person is to show you've really heard them and to show that what they've said matters.
• Put away the cell phone in meetings, in restaurants, and during conversations.
• Stop your eyes from wandering around the crowd when you're with someone.
• Focus fully on them and be truly interested in them.
• Remind people how great they are. Regularly single out people in your life, from the workplace to home, to remind them how great they are. So few of us take the time to acknowledge the people in our lives whom we take for granted (see Recognition blog) that when someone does validate us in this way, it comes as a totally sweet surprise and is so out of the ordinary that it gets remembered.

I am sure there are many other ways to stand out in business or in personal life. The bottom line is that we all enjoy dealing with the people who stand out and we will always remember them.