If I asked you what your favorite childhood memory is, you could probably recall it with great vividness. You might instantly recall smells, sounds, sights, and other things that anchor your memory to that special moment. Or if I asked you to think about a time when you had to make a major life decision, you’d probably be able to tell me about how advice from a specific person (perhaps even an unexpected person) helped you shape your decision. 

I have had many such moments in my life. Some people call them defining moments, others call them power moments. This subject is exactly the topic of New York Times bestselling authors, Chip and Dan Heath’s new book called the Power of Moments, also known for such titles as Made to Stick, Switch, and Decisive. I was originally drawn to their work through a podcast with Forrester Research, where they connected the dots between power moments in customer experiences to industry performance benchmarks.

As I started to dig deeper into the Power of Moments, Chip and Dan provided a framework for not just understanding power moments, but also how to create them. They showcased through a series of great stories how some organizations are focusing on some very specific moments across customer experiences and employee experiences. They break down power moments into specific elements: elevation, pride, insight, and connection. Experiences that have two or more of these elements are more memorable, meaningful, and everlasting to your employees and your customers. The best experiences incorporate even more. I started to look at things through a new lens--a power moment lens--much like our own consulting teams do in their work with clients every day.   

With my new lens on, I started to explore stories of how our teams build moments of elevation into mobile apps through gamification for clients, or create new marketplaces tailored to customers’ needs. How our teams go above and beyond—even so far as to go on extensive roadshows or jump out of planes with clients to get into the head of the customers or employees to make everything from new websites to fully transformed digital experiences. I discovered stories of great pride for our clients, where the insights they developed through our work together are fundamentally changing how they go to market and turning them into industry leaders in their field. And probably my most treasured stories are those where we help our clients build connections, relationships, and trust with their customers. 

We are delighted to work closely with Chip Heath and have him present with Avanade’s Jason Hunt, to help our clients think and architect their own moments through our Power of Moments, Small Group Workshops. Join us in Chicago on November 9th or in Atlanta on December 6th.