Rediscovering My Best Self.

I had a great opportunity to learn about and even study some of the amazing research done by Dan Cable, a scholar and professor well known for helping organizations raise their employee performance by helping people find and be their best selves at work. He showed that when someone is truly being their authentic and best self, both the quantity and quality of their work dramatically improves, as will their sense of commitment and belonging, and most interesting, people will truly enjoy their work and come to it each and every day prepared to throw themselves in 110%. Indeed, I owe a great deal of this to my old collaboration with the amazing Max Israel and the work he and I did, together.

In fact, after learning about Dr. Cable's work, I applied it with others, helping clients improve employee experience and productivity while sadly struggling to relate to those very same values in my own work life. Work was often a good part of my life, but fell short of being my best on a shockingly consistent basis. Work was something I did because at some point I was told that's what you were "supposed to do" and so I did it. And, yet, I did it surprisingly, without love and passion except for some rare glimmers of time where I felt a spark before it fizzled back out.

In his research, Dr. Cable asked others to describe themselves when they felt they were 110% and at their truly authentic best. Then, he helped reinforce those same feelings in the current business surroundings to attempt to elevate their sense of belonging and purpose and equate their current environment to that when they were at their best.* (*I am waaaay over-simplifying his work in this narrative. Trust me, there was a lot more to it.)

For years I craved those very same feelings in my work. I so wanted to feel like was at my best, doing my best, delivering my best to other, similar minded folks, and enjoying and loving my work the way those rare breeds get to, even sometimes.

So, I asked myself, "When or where was I truly at my best, authentic self, while at work?" and struggled to pinpoint a moment or even a feeling that described that feeling and so I walked down to the kitchen to find something to snack on, and when I got to the refrigerator, this picture, from back in 1983 was on the door, held by a magnet. My mom had taken this picture of me when I was 18, sitting at a table, building a business, writing and selling software and loving it. Being an entrepreneur, even back at 18 was magical, and I had that "eye of the tiger" feeling doing that. I truly believed I'd make a dent on the universe as my old mentor and later, acquaintance, Steve Jobs used to say. I sat there for hours on end. In fact, almost every waking hour outside of school was spent dreaming about and building that business and it meant everything to me and I worked incredibly hard because it didn't feel like hard work. It felt like passionate work. I was being my best self.

Many of you already know I elected to leave my role at QuestionPro behind just last week and for the first time since the photo of me here was taken 41 years ago, I re-entered the world of solo-entrepreneurship. I was nervous making the leap from the "known and predictable" to the largely unknown and definitely unpredictable, but the past two days showed me clear evidence that this is where I belong, doing what I do, serving others in this amazing community of colleagues and friends.

I was out with my wife Lisa Mandel, PMP at our beloved Durham Bulls Baseball Club , watching them clobber their opponents up from Atlanta last night and had an opportunity to glance at myself in the mirror in the rest room while washing my hands. I noticed that same look in my eyes last night that was there when I was 18. I was rested and energized and ready to take the tiger by the tail in my new business life. That eye of the tiger, my friends, was back, and only then did I realize how much I missed that guy.

So, I am ready to go be my best self and lovingly throw myself into my career and serve clients who truly want to lean into their customer and employee experiences as a way to help them be their own best selves in the service of others.

While still very early days, my announcement about going into business and launching Wow Moments, my new startup made me so proud to tell you about it and many of you generously reached out to congratulate and ask more. Some of you even offered support in various ways which touched my heart. Your encouragement and support means the world to me and I am truly grateful for each and every one of you.

One final thought -- I used to have to put a disclaimer on the bottom of these postings when working for others, something to the extent of, "Marc Mandel is an XYZ role at ABC company. These views, however, are my own." Insofar as my new Wow Moments! business is my own, I no longer have to. In fact, I can now proudly say, "These views are exactly what Wow Moments! believes in. If you want to become part of this movement, some way, some how, just reach out. I'd love to hear from you and to explore it with you."

I hope to hear from each of you. Here's to regaining that look and each of us being our best.