The “We Over Me” Mindset

Have you ever wondered why the experiences you’ve had at two identical stores, owned by the same company, were so decidedly different? One store delivered while the other fell far short. You’ve probably also had an experience in a restaurant where its employees did the right things, but you felt that they were simply going through the motions. Then there are other times when your customer experience has not been what you expected it to be, but it didn’t bother you all that much because you felt that the person taking care of you really cared about you and made you feel special.

In these examples, the people make the difference. People with a passion for taking care of others and truly valuing “we over me” thinking bring a personal energy, enthusiasm and sincerity to their work that connects with customers on a personal level. Indeed, routinely performing one’s operational tasks or job duties is not nearly enough for the majority of today’s customers (if it ever was). These days, customers expect far more than they ever have for a simple reason: They have more choices of where to spend their money. Furthermore, what customers choose to spend their money on goes beyond your product or service, but now includes the need to feel personally cared for. The best employees do far more than simply satisfy your customers – they look for opportunities to delight them. These hospitality-intense employees have what we call Brand Ambassadorship.

"We Over Me" Thinking

Hospitality refers to the cordial and generous reception and entertainment of people, either socially or commercially.  Long ago, Peters and Waterman ^[1] made the point that America’s most successful companies not only emphasize hospitality toward customers but are obsessed with it. This seminal work led to a heightened awareness of the need for organizations to be staffed with passionate, selfless, service-intense employees who are enthusiastically willing go that extra mile to take care of people, whether they are patients, customers, suppliers or coworkers. Many of the most revered and respected companies in America are known foremost for their intense passion when it comes to delivering high quality customer service (e.g., Nordstrom, Disney, Johns Hopkins Hospitals, Southwest Airlines, USAA Insurance and Costco). Not by happenstance, these service-passionate organizations recruit, hire and retain employees who are more likely to exhibit high levels of “we over me” thinking. If you’ve ever received remarkable customer service or worked with really great people, you’ve most likely been around employees who believe group success trumps personal success, especially in the long-run.  

References

1 Peters, T. & Waterman, R.H. (1982). In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America’s Best-Run Companies. New York: Harper-Row.