Our family just returned from a trip to Mexico where we’ve visited many times before. This time we stayed at the Princess Resort near Playa del Carmen. Our experience was extremely disappointing despite the beauty of this new hotel.

As Darla and I reflected on our disappointments, we realized that probably 80% of the problems would have been reduced or eliminated if the hotel had simply informed us of our options and benefits. Our greatest challenge was finding out, often after the fact, about perks our package included. If our initial orientation had been done well and information provided, the hotel would have performed much better for us.

Another problem was the lack of communication. As someone who has visited Mexico 20 times, I know most service providers there speak better English than I do Spanish, but evidently because this hotel is new they’ve hired many employees who we couldn’t understand and who couldn’t understand us. A rudimentary ability to communicate with guests is key to a successful experience.

And if you really want to perform, inform your team. Service training was sadly lacking. Many employees simply didn’t know what to do despite whatever intentions they may have had. We sometimes ran into a welcome exception to the poor service rule, and these were typically employees who had been employed–and I assume trained–elsewhere before joining the staff at the Princess.

Information should always precede execution. As simple as this sounds, overlooking it can derail performance.

I was reminded of that recently. Sometimes despite your best preparation stuff happens. Life, as we are all too often reminded, isn’t completely within our control. When bad and unexpected stuff happens, the mark of a professional is his or her ability to recover; or to use an overused metaphor, make lemonade out of the lemons.

Two words will serve you well when it comes to your performance: the first is preparation. Good preparation results in the prevention of most problems. To the degree you can, prepare diligently to create a favorable environment and outcome. Of course the second word is recovery. When something happens beyond your control, don’t let it rattle you. Instead, use grace under pressure and make the most of the situation.

When you need a little motivation to exercise.

Or do anything.

Click here.

In his excellent new book, The Breakthrough Company, Keith McFarland makes this point:

“A search of the Harvard Business Review web site revealed that nearly 50 percent of the articles published by the Harvard Business Review mention at least one of the following companies: IBM, GE, Dell, Wal-Mart, and Southwest Airlines.”

Is it surprising that best practices quickly become common practices? If we all learn from the same examples, won’t we all look, well, similar? What are the odds for distinction and innovation?

There is much to be learned from the success of the mentioned media superstars, but remember there is much more to be learned–and often lessons more innovative–from the less notices and less written about companies in the marketplace.

To be uncommon, look for uncommon lessons.

Who? Tiger Woods.

He’s being called the best who ever played the game. At the age of 32 he’s earning $100 million a year and has won seven consecutive tournaments.

I don’t golf, but I learn from Tiger. That’s because truth is transferable. What makes for mastery and remarkable performance is applicable in any arena. The principles don’t change, just the application of them.

I quoted Hillary Clinton recently and surprisingly I’m now quoting what Donald Trump said recently about Tiger: “He is mentally tougher than perhaps anyone else in the sport. He wants more. We see greatness; Tiger sees another level.”

In my next book, The Encore Effect: How to Give a Remarkable Performance in Anything You Do, I talk about the 2LU strategy: aiming not for the incremental next level but going bigger by aiming two levels up. It stretches you more and draws upon more resources.

I’m not surprised that Tiger sees more than simple greatness. He’s aiming levels higher than most.

Couple that with the willingness to work harder and smarter than most and the results are remarkable.

We sometimes think of remarkable performances as grandiose events, but sometimes the little things are remarkable.

A friend is coming by my office later this week to pick something up. He emailed me to find out what he could bring as a surprise treat for my assistant Martiza. He wanted to show up with something that would brighten her day, whether a Starbucks drink or some sweets.

That kind of thoughtfulness is quite remarkable.

Don’t neglect the little things. Individually and collectively they make others want more of you and how you make them feel.

We often eat at the On the Border near our home. It is kid friendly, we like the food and I particularly like the margaritas. We often receive excellent service but the other night the service was remarkable.

I liked Drew as soon as he came to the table. Most wait staff introduce themselves, but when Drew did, he didn’t seem to be going through the motions. He was prompt, friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. That’s pretty good, but not remarkable.

We had somehow lost or misplaced our “frequent diner” card which had enough points for a free dessert. We discovered this as we were finishing up and Drew was handling a party of 12. We felt bad even mentioning our situation given how busy he was, but he wasn’t bothered. He quickly looked us up in the system, tried to get us a replacement card, and comped us the dessert we wanted in-between taking orders, delivering food and checking on all his other guests.

When the manager came by we complimented Drew on his performance. Evidently we weren’t the only ones to notice as his manager simply said, “He’s one of the best.”

As I’ve often quoted, Abraham Lincoln said “Whatever you are, be a good one.” Drew isn’t just a good waitperson; he’s remarkable.

Orison Swett Marden was one of the earliest and most prolific writers on success and what would become the self-help genre. In his book Pushing to the Front (Volume 1) published in 1911 he wrote:

“Don’t wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great.”

The weather here in the Denver area was extraordinary this past Saturday. Temperatures set a record high of 74 degrees. Within 12 hours the temperature was 28 degrees with snow not only coming down but blowing sideways due to high winds.

Today, Monday, the sun is back and the snow is melting. The wild and varied weather swings of Colorado remind me much of what business and life are like. One day we’re figuratively lying on the beach and the next we’re freezing in hail storm.

Which is your “normal” weather?

Over time it is easy to become discouraged and let snow and ice become our normal  emotional weather. We still get sunny and warm some occasionally but look at those days as the exception rather than the norm.

Weather is never subject to our control. Fortunately much of our lives (but not all) is within our control. Our choices, habits, beliefs and behaviors create much of the climate of our lives.

Even the best of us get ice and snow, whether due to our choices or simple circumstance. When it happens, and especially when it is prolonged, we think temporary conditions have become permanent.

I hope you’re enjoying pleasant metaphorical weather right now wherever you’re at. But if you’re not, consider two things: first, unlike the weather, there is much you can choose to do to change your climate and second, if you can’t control the weather you’re experiencing, you can still control how your respond to it. Either of those should provide hope for better weather, even in the midst of a storm.

Can a company be a remarkable performer? I believe it can. For an example, read my post about Boston Beer Company’s remarkable performance in making hops available to smaller brewers who were in desparate need of the critical ingredient. Read about it here.