Kid in crowd shadowRecently, while checking my LinkedIn account, one of the featured articles caught my eye. The article was titled “How to Give Yourself a Promotion at Work” and was accompanied somewhat illogically by a photo of a teenage boy triumphantly holding a box of snacks and screaming his head off. This bizarre combination intrigued me, so I could not help but read further. In the article, Dave Kerpen, author and CEO of Likeable Local, described his first job selling Crunch ‘n’ Munch at Fenway Park in Boston. After a dismal first night in which he made only $15, Kerpen decided to “give himself a promotion” and subsequently became “not only a ballpark vendor, but an entertainer at work.” By a combination of singing, dancing, screaming, and generally wacky behavior, Dave quickly became known locally as the Crunch ‘n’ Munch guy and further decided to embrace his celebrity role by autographing each box he sold. In his peak, Kerpen  made up to $500 a night selling boxes of the snack.

Kerpen’s story is pretty impressive and while few of us would contribute much to our job by obnoxiously singing and dancing during our work day, there are still valuable lessons to be learned. It isn’t always enough to do just what is expected. Sometimes, what is required for success is creative thinking and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone.

Attitude is everything. Singing, dancing, and selling Crunch ‘n’ Munch probably isn’t always the best approach. However, with creative thinking and a desire to push ourselves, we can make a tremendous positive impact to both our fellow team members and our clients.

Quote:

“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” ― Winston Churchill