Our family just came back from a 3 day Disney Cruise to the Bahamas. We were on the Wonder which is a terrific boat.

The first night Darla and I ate in the adult-only restaurant and while the food and service were very good, there was a long wait between the appetizers and entrees. To make amends, our waitperson comped our additional charges and drinks. I thought it a nice gesture.

The next night as we were leaving the family dining with out kids, the steward approached and asked about our experience. Then he said, “How was your dinner last night?” “Fine,” I responded. “That’s not what I heard. I understand the time between your appetizers and entrees was inappropriate and again, we apologize.”

I was stunned. The ability to communicate that kind of nuance about a customer’s experience is quite extraordinary.

Everything was very good on our cruise, but that additional touch stands out in my memory.

Things like that create an encore experience.

My latest book, The Encore Effect: How to Achieve Remarkable Performance in Anything You Do provides both a philosophy and specific practices for achieving remarkable–or more remarkable–performance in anything you do, whether at home or work, selling, providing customer service, leading, making a presentation or whatever important performance you choose.

It isn’t a public speaking book. While the principles apply to speaking, that isn’t the focus of the book.

That becomes apparent when you read the book, but at least one reviewer didn’t think it was a very good book about public speaking. It isn’t, because it isn’t just about public speaking.

Principles are transferable. That means that the performance principles I write about can be used wherever they will benefit you. I use a myriad of different examples throughout the book to help drive this point home.

If you’re looking for a book specifically about public speaking, I can suggest some good ones. If on the other hand you’re looking for a way to take your performance “2LU” (two levels up), I believe The Encore Effect will be most helpful.

The National Speakers Association just completed its annual convention in NYC. My friend Eric Chester created a concert experience around this year’s theme, NSA Rocks. He exhibited the power of extraordinary creativity, planning and attention to detail that brought out nearly 2000 attendees to one of the world’s most expensive cities in a time of economic downturn.

I’ve long been a fan of REO Speedwagon so it was a special treat to meet the lead singer Kevin Cronin. I spent a few minutes talking with him at a private reception and was impressed with what a genuinely nice guy he is.

There was a panel with famed promoter David Fishof, Kevin and Simon Kirke, Bad Company founder. There were lots of ideas that apply not just to rock music but speaking and even leadership.

Kevin said, “Everybody wants to be a rock star, but I needed it…” He went on to explain that is what gave him such an incredible sense of optimism and drive to succeed. He also spoke to the need for emotion in one’s craft, “It starts with emotion, that’s the seed…” Like him, I believe emotion-passion in some form-is critical for any remarkable performance.

Simon said, “Don’t bring the audience to your level–create a mutual level for your audience and you.” Interesting insight. What else does it take to be a rock star? “A pathological desire to show off helps,” he added.

He also said, “You can’t sit down to write a hit.” You sit down to write a song, or a speech, or whatever you need to create. It is persistence and hard work that turns some, but not all, into hits.

What if . . . ?

These two powerful words usually conjure up the results of past decisions—how things might have been different and better if only . . .

But they are equally powerful when applied to the future. We can’t change the past. But the future? That’s a totally different story.

What if a CEO or organization leader had such a reputation for effectiveness as a leader-manager that she never had to go looking for new employees? There was always a long line of job applicants ready to do whatever it took to work for her. (Example: In 2006 Google received one million job applications and made 5,000 hires.)

What if a teacher was so extraordinary that many of her students stayed after school for tutoring, not because they needed to but because they wanted to? (This happens to teachers like Jaime Escalente, subject of the film Stand and Deliver, who changed the lives of his inner-city students at East L.A.’s Garfield High School.)

What if a restaurant had such good servers that customers asked to sit in a particular server’s section, and was even willing to wait if necessary to do so?

What if a pastor was so effective at communicating that first-time church visitors came back the following week, and brought others with them? (Example: By his own admission, the first few rows of seats at Pastor Tommy Barnett’s Phoenix First church in Phoenix [weekly attendance: 15,000] look like “the bar scene out of Star Wars,” so diverse is the eclectic crowd that comes to hear him preach.)

I know—at this point you’re probably saying, “But those are the exceptions to the rule—the superstars. I’m not sure I could ever develop that kind of reputation in my line of work.”

Why not?

What if you were so good at your work, such an asset to your company, that your employer would do almost anything not to lose you?

What if you performed in such a way that people buzzed about your remarkable performance and wanted more of the product, service, or ideas you provide?

If you knew how to consistently get people to demand more and more of you and whatever it is you do, it would be because of the encore effect.

What are you doing today to create an encore with your employer, customers or colleagues? What time and effort have you invested to create an encore at home with your spouse and kids?

In September of this year you can read my new book The Encore Effect: How to Give a Remarkable Performance in Anything You Do. In the meantime, I’ll share ideas and techniques you can use to get people to want more of you and what you do.

Aim for an encore.