Today’s post from Seth Godin, “Do the (extra) work,” focuses on doing more work than is expected just for the sake of doing it. Godin contends that the benefits of going above-and-beyond far outweigh the extra effort, and not just for the sake of credit or reward, but for the work itself.
The post reminded me of one of Curley & Pynn’s Five Steps to Professional Success, “Anticipate … don’t wait to be asked.” To me, this means focusing on ways we can anticipate opportunities with the ultimate goal of over-delivering for our clients. The reward for doing so is a bonus, but as Godin suggested, the extra effort is worth it in and of itself. I would take his point a step further though to say it’s not just a privilege, but a responsibility. If you’re doing just the bare minimum or what’s expected for your clients, you’re not doing nearly enough.
