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Q&A with Mark Sanborn Author of The Encore Effect

1) What's the distinction between a good professional performance and a remarkable one? We are in tough times right now with the economy and current job market. And, in tough times, good people lose their jobs. Giving good performances are not enough in the current climate. There are no guarantees. But, remarkable performance—at the individual or organizational level—is a hedge against downturns. Remarkable performances are memorable and will keep you afloat and help you excel in difficult times.

1) What's the distinction between a good professional performance and a remarkable one?

We are in tough times right now with the economy and current job market. And, in tough times, good people lose their jobs. Giving good performances are not enough in the current climate. There are no guarantees. But, remarkable performance-”at the individual or organizational level-”is a hedge against downturns. Remarkable performances are memorable and will keep you afloat and help you excel in difficult times.

A good performance is table stakes-”it will get you into the game. A remarkable performance is a winning hand.

A remarkable performance is memorable and valued. A bad performance is memorable, but neither appreciated nor valued.

2) Are people born with "The Encore Effect- or is it something anyone can achieve? How so?

Remarkable performance is based on a process that anyone can learn, but it takes desire and commitment. Remarkable performance happens by design, not accident. While some people have God-given natural predispositions in certain areas (and these are those who perform at truly elite levels), anyone can learn the process for creating a remarkable performance.

It's important to choose when to be remarkable. Not everything is worth doing "remarkably.- An expense report needs to be accurate, but not remarkable. But if you're in sales, key client presentations need to be remarkable. A customer service rep needs to be remarkable at helping a customer who has experienced a problem. A teacher needs to be remarkable not simply in lecturing but in ensuring that students learn. We need to carefully choose where we commit the time and effort in order to become remarkable.

3) Are remarkable performances different in our personal lives and our professional lives? What do they have in common? How can they benefit each other?

We all play roles on different stages in our lives: at home, at work, in our communities, and in our country. Principles are always transferable and "The Encore Effect- is based on timeless principles. The only thing that changes is how those principles are applied.

Consider one of the principles from my book: practice. How you practice making a presentation is different from how you practice a golf swing, but the principle is the same: practice may not make you perfect but it will always make you better.

4) Is there just one type of quality or practice that ensures "The Encore Effect-? Or is it different for each person? How do we use our natural strengths and weaknesses to hone our performances?

The U Factor is very important. It is what makes your performance unique and is based on your special combination of abilities and strengths. There is always an element of the unique in any remarkable performance. Cover bands never become as famous as the original acts they imitate. The U Factor starts with doing everything extraordinarily well but then adding your own unique imprint. If we all performed the same things the same way, no matter how well we did them, they wouldn't be remarkable. Style sets each performer apart.

5) How do you define passion?

Passion is the fuel that drives the process of remarkable performance. It is an inner commitment that is part emotion and part discipline. Contrary to popular belief, it isn't just about what we do, but how we do it, why we do it, and who we do it for.

6) What is the one single remarkable performance that has stayed with you? How has it affected your own performance?

It is pretty hard to trump Fred Shea, the real life postal carrier I wrote about in my book The Fred Factor: How Passion in Your Work and Life Can Turn the Ordinary into the Extraordinary. Fred brings artistry to the ordinary job of delivering the mail. He's also proof of the U Factor. I've met lots of postal carriers, but I've never met anyone quite like Fred.

7) How should we help others around us achieve remarkable performances as well? How does mentoring and empowering those close to us enhance our own extraordinary performance?

Whether you are a parent or a leader, a coach or a concerned colleague, you can help others see potential in themselves that they may not be aware of. The first step is to expand their vision of themselves. The next step is not just to "teach- but to "reach,- which means that we invest in not just imparting information but impacting performance. And one of the best ways to do that is through an ongoing process of encouragement.

Many years ago I was asked to chair a committee that I would never have volunteered to lead, but the president of the organization helped me see an ability I possessed that I had discounted. Her vision, impact, and encouragement made the difference.