What Is the Fred Factor?

  • First Bank
  • 03/20/2024
  • Business
  • Article
The Fred Factor: How Passion in Your Work and Life Can Turn the Ordinary into the Extraordinary

A brief synopsis, written by Ed Hart, Senior Vice President & Director, First Bank Center for Family-Owned Businesses

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The true story of a seemingly ordinary mail carrier whose approach to work and life has the power to transform the everyday into the extraordinary.

“This beloved business classic has inspired millions of people over the years, and today Mark Sanborn’s transformative insights are more timely and necessary than ever.” —Jon Gordon, author of The Energy Bus and co-author of The Coffee Bean

Meet Fred.
 
In this small, yet powerful book, Mark Sanborn, member of the Speaker Hall of Fame, recounts the story of a USPS carrier who introduced himself one day shortly after Sanborn had moved to a new home in Denver. Fred, however, was no average mailman.
 
As Sanborn came to discover, Fred was the kind of worker who exemplifies everything “right” with customer service. Did people want packages left on the porch or prefer a notice to pick them up at the post office? Fred made sure he knew the answer. When another delivery service left a package at the wrong house, Fred shepherded it safely to the intended recipient. Others might have seen delivering mail as less-than-glamorous work, but Fred seized the chance to find meaning in the mundane, competing with himself every day to find opportunities to make his customers smile.
 
We’ve all encountered people like Fred. In this deeply inspiring book, Sanborn illuminates the four basic principles anyone can use to bring fresh energy and creativity to our work and life: how to make a tangible difference every day, build stronger relationships, create real value for others without spending a penny, and constantly reinvent yourself.

What if you could inspire every person to pursue their best? Mark Sanborn, motivational speaker and author of The Fred Factor: How Passion in Your Work and Life Can Turn the Ordinary into the Extraordinary will share how to create extraordinary workplaces by transforming ordinary acts into remarkable results. Joining him in the upcoming discussion is First Bank’s CEO Mikel Williamson.

Find out more by watching the on demand webinar, “The Fred Factor–Turning Ordinary Leaders into Extraordinary Leaders,” hosted by the First Bank Center for Family-Owned Businesses.

If you’d like to purchase a copy of Mark Sanborn’s book, it can be purchased on Amazon or at other reputable retailers.

To learn more about the First Bank Center for Family-Owned Businesses, our free offerings for family businesses, contact our Senior Vice President/Director of the Center, Ed Hart at [email protected] or visit www.first.bank/familybusiness. Photo of Ed Hart