Finish With A Bang-Not A Thud!

I recently had a pleasant flight. I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but it really was. The flight boarded and departed on time, it wasn't full and it actually arrived early. I was so excited because with the early arrival I wouldn't have to rush to my evening meeting. That was before the flight ended so poorly. It took a gate agent over 15 minutes to move the jet bridge next to the plane so we could exit the aircraft. A great performance dashed by the actions of one person.

It also brought to mind how easy it is for us to fail to put the finishing touches on a great event. It's so easy to impress people in this world of mediocrity-and even easier to "wow" them if you add the final touches to it. The next time you have orchestrated something well, remember to:

• Send thank you notes to all those who had a part in making the event a success.
• Assuming you have taken pictures, get them posted somewhere on the internet as soon as possible. People like to see themselves-and to share the pictures with others.
• If you had other people working with you, stay in contact with them to make sure they take care of finishing up their responsibilities as well.
• If you (or someone on your team) borrowed something, return it ASAP and tell the person who loaned you the item how their item really made the event work.
• If anyone donated time or money to make the event happen, be specific about the impact of their contribution to the success of the event.

Lastly, let people know when/how they can experience a similar event. Build on the buzz you created with this event-and get them on board for a future one. Use that "enthusiasm capital"