Professional Reading: The Fred Factor

            How can one be passionate in his work life while turning the ordinary into extraordinary? That is the goal of the book The Fred Factor, Mark Sanborn discusses in detail how one can turn his world, and other’s worlds upside down.

            The book begins with the story of Fred. He was a postman who caught Mark’s eye. Mark noticed how different Fred was from every other mail carrier he had ever had! Fred went above and beyond his job by doing little things. These little things made a huge difference in the perception Mark had of Fred.

            Fred touched the lives of everyone he encountered whilst on the job. He treated his customers extremely well, going above and beyond the call of duty to bend over backwards to help them. What makes Fred so special and different is that he does an extraordinary job at something quite ordinary. He was able to take a profession that is not known for quality customer service, and made his career into a passion that he could live. This is the essence of the book.

            The book then delves into what is known as the “Fred Principles.” The first principle is that “Everyone makes a difference” (Sanborn, 2004), meaning that no matter who you are or what your job is, you can make a difference in the world! You may not create world peace, but in your section of the world, there can indeed be peace. You can touch the lives of those around you.

            The second principle is that, “Success is built upon relationships” (Sanborn, 2004), engaging people, and by empathizing with them, you will naturally develop relationships. This concept can translate from your personal life to your business life. People are people no matter what the situation entails. If you treat others well, they will most likely reciprocate the benevolence.

            The third principle states, “You must constantly create value for others, and it doesn’t have to cost a penny” (Sanborn, 2004). How can one make a difference in someone else’s life and not spend any money doing so? This is a question businesses should be considering, especially the way the economy is tanking.

 Businesses that have short-term thinking will not be the businesses that carry on into the future. How can a business increase the value of its company without spending any money? This is quite simple, the answer is customer service! What today’s monolithic companies have failed to think through is superb customer service. How many people go to Walmart and leave feeling unsatisfied? I can tell you that their sales figures are representative of the level of discontent caused by that experience. Low prices are not everything! Consumers will pay more if one gives them more, and with that one does not have to spend any more money doing so.

The last principle is, “You can reinvent yourself regularly” (Sanborn, 2004)and every day is a fresh new start! You can choose to change the way you act or the things you say. The smallest little change can be a catalyst for long-term change. You can start each morning and decide that you want to be a certain way, yet the only thing that holds you back is you!

A major theme throughout the book is that the only person holding them back from this state of nirvana is themselves. They control their own destiny; the choices we choose can either make or break relationships. This concept is applicable for all levels of relationships and can be applied appropriately. A nugget of wisdom from Mark states, “It is harder to be miserable, negative, and insincere than it is to be happy, positive, and genuine.” (Sanborn, 2004). So in reality, we try harder being bitter than we do to be happy. We are born empathetic and if we instead followed what is truly natural, the world would be a much better place!

            How does one build better relationships? The book outlines seven ways in which to build those relationships. The first is to be real. This is extremely important when it comes to leadership. People will be more apt to trust you if you are yourself. They will know what to expect and won’t think of you as being “two-faced.” This is a motto everyone should live by. If we all were true to ourselves and to others, there would be no veil of secrecy between people.

            To truly understand another, you should be interested in what others have to say. It is not enough to nod your head and smile. That is only a superficial gesture that means you aren’t listening and that the other person’s time isn’t worth much. If we don’t truly take an interest in what others say, how can we better understand them?

            Be empathetic with others. It’s easy to judge others based on outer appearances, but it’s important to not judge a book by its cover. You may not know the whole situation and could lose a chance to meet an amazing person because of preconceived notions you contrived within your mind. By empathizing with others, you will better understand them. This is just as true when it comes to leadership. You need to empathize with those who follow you; otherwise they will think that you only have interest in yourself and your status.

            Be honest with yourself and with others. Honesty is in short supply these days and those who remain honest are looked upon with utter reverence. How can you lead others if you simply cannot tell the truth? If only the world were only slightly more honest, there would be less tension in the air. One of my greatest strengths is my absolute honesty. I always tell the truth, because it’s that important to me.

            By being helpful and prompt you can serve others more efficiently. The big idea of this book is that by serving others, you serve yourself, even if that means you aren’t rewarded. The reward is the action you do to help others. This can be applied to a multitude of ideas, but its greatest impact is within the business world. If you are helpful and prompt, your customers will remain loyal to you. That’s extremely important if you wish to be a profitable organization.

            Exactly how can all of this be applied to leadership? By using the FRED principles, you can create a change within yourself that is contagious in others. Mark states that “…one of the best kept secrets of competing successfully: having Fred-like employees at every level in your organization” (Sanborn, 2004). Let’s ponder for a moment just how profound this statement truly is. If everyone in your organization, group, etc. were to employ these traits, you would compete successfully. This, I believe, is the future of business. This is exactly how businesses were in the 1950s. I believe we are gravitating back to that era in the sense that customer service must once again be a priority. Those businesses that indeed do apply this notion of life in general will be some of the most successful.

            I truly cannot say I disagree with anything in this book. I’ve decided to go the extra mile for others, even when I may not want to. I feel that by applying these principles to my life, not only will I be a better person, but I will create better relationships with others. I know that the wisdom this book speaks about is indeed beneficial for anyone who is a leader. That can be any form, whether you are a parent, own a business, or are just a person people look up to. As Gandhi once said, “be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Bibliography

Sanborn, M. (2004). The Fred Factor. United States of America: Doubleday.