Spencer X. Smith — October 2, 2017 — October 2, 2017
I was fortunate enough to run into Green Bay Packer legend Donald Driver at the LaGuardia airport in New York City last week.
Technically, we were both on a bus that was driving us to our plane on the tarmac (first time that’s ever happened).
Suddenly, there was a very familiar-looking guy standing next to me.
Me: “Donald, could I get a quick selfie with you? There’s no way I can’t ask you since you’re literally standing next to me.”
DD: “Of course.”
Me: “I really appreciate you being so gracious. Thanks for everything you do for the community too.”
DD: “Thank you. It’s my pleasure.”
Unfortunately for Mr. Driver, apparently I was the only person on the bus who was comfortable saying something to him first. Just after that, the whole bus clamored for pictures.
Did DD say, “No more pictures. I’m tired. Please just leave me alone?”
No way.
He realized this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for everyone on that bus, and – true to his fantastic reputation – he accommodated everyone. And now I’m bragging about him to the InBusiness audience.
Next time you’re tired and don’t feel like being nice, know there are other people out there that are expected to be friendly 24/7. DD sets the bar for all of us.
This return trip from NYC followed a presentation I did on social media at the New York Stock Exchange and the Park Ave offices of Deutsche Bank. As a guy who bought his first share of stock when he was 13, I couldn’t have been more excited.
Both before and during the trip, 3 things occurred to me that I think will benefit you:
1.) Whenever you’re out of town, maximize your time there. There’s an air of exclusivity that comes along with you being in town for a finite period of time. I took advantage of this by requesting meetings with people/companies that might have not seen me otherwise. The “I’m only in town for the day” approach gave them a reason to make room in their schedule.
2.) “If it’s not written down, it didn’t happen.” I erred on the side of taking too many pictures and videos, just so I could share my journey with my social media followers. I used Instagram Stories and Twitter to document my story, and the posts got tons of engagement.
3.) Make out-of-town events transcend geography. What do I mean by that? Be sure to use social media to highlight the other individuals you meet and interact with, and encourage them to do the same. By introducing them to your social networks and vice versa, everyone benefits.
Oh, and #GoPackGo.
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