Extraordinary Influence

3Tactical AffirmationAffirming Style and Competence

A few years ago, I spoke to a group of leaders who gathered in Izmir, Turkey, on the Aegean coast, a beautiful and archeologically rich area. Marc Antony and Cleopatra reportedly met for weekend getaways in nearby Ephesus. Because I was a speaker, my photograph appeared on some posters around the hotel to create awareness of my upcoming talks.

I'm allergic to dust, so I often leave a note for the housekeepers any time I stay for more than one night in a hotel. My note politely asks the housekeeper to leave the bedspread off the bed when the room is cleaned. I know it sounds a little particular, but bedspreads are magnets for dust; and, just between me and you, I don't like my imagination to get hold of what else might be on that bedspread from people sitting there, suitcases, and whatever else. So, I left my typical note to housekeeping: “Please leave the bedspread off the bed.” Problem solved.

That night, my wife, Anne, and I had dinner with three other couples attending the conference. As we chit chatted about everyone's day, one of the wives spoke up and asked, “Did they make up your room today? Our bedspread wasn't even put back on the bed.” Two others spoke up and said, “Weird, ours weren't, either.”

I suddenly realized that the housekeeping staff must have seen my photo and thought that I was one of the conference organizers. They somehow took my note as a request to leave the bedspreads off all the beds in our group! ...