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I related to Fred the confession of a manager who had pulled me aside after one speech to tell me he never realized that his career goal all along was to be "a Fred." He believed that excellence and quality should be the goals of every person in any business or profession.

I was delighted to tell my postman that several companies had created a Fred Award to present to employees who demonstrated his trademark spirit of service, innovation, and commitment.

And one fan of Fred once sent him a box of homemade cookies in care of my address!

On the first Christmas after Fred became my postman, I wanted to thank him more formally for his exceptional service. I left a small gift in the mailbox for him. The next day I found an unusual letter in my box. The envelope had a stamp on it, but it wasn't canceled. That's when I noticed the return address; the letter was from Fred the Postman.

Fred knew it would be illegal to put an unpostmarked letter in the box, so even though he personally carried it from his house to my house, he had done the right thing by placing a stamp on the letter.

I opened the letter, which said in part, "Dear Mr. Sanborn, Thank you for remembering me at Christmas. I am flattered you talk about me in your speeches and seminars, and I hope I can continue to provide exceptional service. Sincerely, Fred the Postman."

Over the next ten years, I received consistently remarkable service from Fred. I could always tell which days he wasn't working my street by the way the mail was jammed into my box. When Fred was on the job, all items were neatly bundled.

But there was more. Fred also took a personal interest in me. One day while I was mowing the front lawn, a vehicle slowed in the street. The window went down and a familiar voice yelled, "Hello, Mr. Sanborn! How was your trip?"

It was Fred, off duty, driving around the neighborhood.

After observing his exemplary attitude and actions, I concluded that Fred--and the way he did his job--provides a perfect metaphor for high individual achievement and excellence in the twenty-first century. Fred--and the countless other Freds I've met, observed, or been served by in numerous professions--inspired me to write "The Fred Factor." It contains the simple yet profound lessons all the Freds around the world have taught me.

Anyone can be a Fred! That includes you! The result will not just be extraordinary effort and success in your work. You'll find yourself living an extraordinary life as well.

Chapter Two

THE FRED PRINCIPLES

Whatever you are, be a good one.
—ABRAHAM LINCOLN

Truth is transferable. That's why I will often refer in this book to some core ideas that I believe define the essence of the Fred Factor. These ideas apply to your life and your work. Here, in summary form, are the four principles I learned from Fred the Postman that I believe apply to any person, in any profession, in any situation, at any time.

PRINCIPLE I: EVERYONE MAKES A DIFFERENCE

It doesn't matter how large or even how ineffective an organization is. An individual can still make a difference. "You" can make a difference. A mediocre employer can hinder exceptional performance, choose to ignore it, and not adequately recognize or encourage it. Or an excellent employer can train employees to achieve exceptional performance and then reward it. Ultimately, though, only the employee can choose to do his or her job in an extraordinary way, regardless of the circumstances.

Think about it. Do you add to or take away from the experience of your customers and colleagues? Do you move your organization closer to or further from its goals? Do you perform your work in an ordinary way, or do you execute it superbly? Do you lighten someone's burden or add to it? Do you lift someone up or put someone down?

"Nobody can prevent you from choosing to be exceptional." At the end of the day, the only question that matters is, What kind of difference did you make?

Fred Smith, the distinguished author and business leader, has noted from his years of leadership experience that "most people have a passion for significance."

I agree. Consider Fred the Postman's example. Where others might have seen delivering mail as monotonous drudgery, Fred saw an opportunity to make the lives of his customers more enjoyable. He chose to make a positive difference.

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