You’re enjoying a delicious bowl of hot, flavorful soup at your favorite restaurant. As you enjoy spoonful after spoonful, you suddenly discover hair in your mouth, and it’s not yours. You stop chewing immediately, swish your tongue around to locate it, poke around with a finger if needed, inspect what you find, and then push your bowl away, refusing another mouthful and sometimes, the rest of the meal. Worse yet, you swear never to eat that kind of soup again, or what once was your favorite restaurant is now off limits.
Think about it. Hair is natural, not toxic and tasteless. Most of us think nothing of it when it’s on our head, on our arms or on our face. Yet, when we find hair in our food, nearly every time, we react…strongly. An eyelash or a fine strand can end a good meal in seconds. How amazing that something so small can cause a reaction so big.
Small CAN be big. Really, really big.
On one hand, certain details can spoil an otherwise great experience or product. Unfortunately, the more memorable the spoilage, the more likely it is to negate any positives of looks, feel, behavior. That said, mistakes do happen. When they do, own up. Be accountable. Be gracious. Make good.
On the other hand, small thoughtful gestures can turn someone’s day around. They can redirect negative perspective, prevent destructive decisions, improve morale. They can brighten days, lighten loads, switch gears.
Never underestimate the impact of details. They can make and they can break.
Though hair in soup is a gross thought that likely makes you shudder, it’s a great example of how small can create big. Pay attention to the “powerful small” in your brand and your performance. Is it making, or is it breaking?