I recently met with a good friend of mine. He has a tremendous amount of business experience and is well respected by his peers and friends. He also has the best attitude of anyone I have ever met. He was explaining to me that when meeting with his staff, he encourages them to “dress up one level” from their client. So, these days since business dress can vary greatly from company to company, you can meet with a client in a suit or khakis and a t shirt. So, Mark advises his staff to always dress “one up” from your client. In that way, you’ll always be putting your best foot forward ( but you won’t make the client feel uncomfortable by wearing a suit if they customarily wear just jeans).
I thought about this over the next few days and thought how many times I do just enough to get by and how this “plus one” attitude could really be applied to more than just how you dress at the office. I could “plus one” my workouts by running an extra mile or doing a bit more at the gym or studio. I could “plus one” my relationships by really listening and being there for the people I love in my life. I could “plus one” my job by taking that extra step to anticipate the needs of my customers. I could “plus one” my finances by looking for creative ways to save money.
There are lots of ways we live “minus one.” Why not try “plus” instead?