A few weeks ago we received some feedback following an individual's first visit to our church...

I loved the smiles, I didn't feel like I was an interruption if I asked someone a question, it felt OK to ask, I wasn't expected to have any pre-knowlege about anything.

I loved hearing that!

My job is all about people. Realize it or not, so is yours.

Regardless of what profession you are in or title you hold, people are the end game of your impact. The better experience you create for your customers, your staff or your congregants; the stronger the impact you will have. When you create remarkable experiences people talk about it to their friends.

Recently we realized that we fall short in leading our teams to create great experiences. While we preach things like excellence, creativity or kindness; we do not give people specific ways to behave that ensure they are creating that ideal moment. Touchy-feely statements are cool, but measurable behaviors ensure things get done and helps people know they are winning.

Our team identified 3 behaviors that we ask our leaders to embrace on the weekends to create experiences people will talk about.

Be Present

That’s simple! It is simple, but it’s not common. You cannot give common effort and expect uncommon results. It is common to have conversations with people while we are on and off our phone. To show up late to a scheduled meeting because we are busy. To appear unprepared or flippant. To rush through a conversation because our task list is constantly growing and our day seems to be shrinking.

Consider the power of being present, pausing and acknowledging people who cross our path. When we do this, we stand out, people notice, and they come back. By simply keeping your phone in your pocket rather than posting a cool moment to Instagram or maintaining eye-contact in spite of a more interesting person walking by, we add value to the person directly in front of us.

Be Positive

We all like to be around positive people, and we avoid the negative ones. Proverbs says a joyful heart is good medicine. Even when we do not feel it inside, projecting positivity is a valuable tool in ministry. The Bible says some of the evidence of the Holy Spirit's work in our lives are qualities like love, joy, peace and patience. It is understandable that you don't always feel this way, life can be hard and we are all tired at one point or another. I am not asking you to be dishonest; you actually need to open up to your leaders and team members about the difficulties you face. Just remember that when you are on, you need to be on. When you project a positive presence, guests have a positive experience.

Be Proactive

If we live our lives reacting to the things that happen to us, we end up exhausted and out of control. If you do not set a budget, you end up scrambling at the end of the month for extra cash, simply reacting to your circumstances. When you do set a budget, when you plan your expenses, you have peace knowing you have taken action to protect your family's future. It is a basic lesson, and it applies in every area of life.

When you are serving people, be proactive. Solve problems or address challenges by asking one question, "What is in the best interest of this person and of the organization?" If this means you need to step away from your post to walk a guest through an issue, do that when it is appropriate. Serving guests is not simply the responsibility of some other team or individual, it is yours!

There you have it. Teach these 3 behaviors to your team as a standard to create great moments with people. Our team says a lot that "people matter." I would add that people matter enough for us to give our best! Happy leading.