Initiating a pilgrimage into what constitutes a flourishing life in efforts to engage and equip emerging generations, I am continually astonished at the various paths this journey is taking. Looking back over the past year of researching Gen Z, identifying the role of mentoring and the importance of creating relational equity, I never dreamed that the concepts which resonate the most and are clarifying the image of this intriguing puzzle would all have a common thread related to hospitality. From a sport management perspective, the concept of hospitality has always held some fascination and as a frequent traveler, my experiences with customer service are numerous and even sometimes, humorous. But there seems to be a lack of depth with the term hospitality to capture the essence of what I’m attempting to articulate. Until today.

Today, I discovered a more suitable descriptor for how to Keep ‘Em Comin’ Back and that phrase is Defining Moments. In The Power of Moments, Heath and Heath share, “We all have defining moments in our lives—meaningful experiences that stand out in our memory.” The authors continue by sharing that Defining Moments share four common elements: elevation, insight, pride, and connection. Throughout the book, Heath and Heath express a desire “to show you how you can create defining moments by making use of those elements. Why would you want to create them? To enrich your life. To connect with others. To make memories. To improve the experience of customers or patients or employees. Our lives are measured in moments, and defining moments are the ones that endure in our memories.”

As I ponder how to apply the insightful ideas for creating Defining Moments into my day-to-day experiences and interactions, one chapter stood out among all the others; probably because it contains suggestions for higher education, but also because the concepts may be more relevant today than at any other time. In a season where people are encouraged to practice social isolation in response to the coronavirus and schools are closed for extended periods, many memorable milestones for students are being disrupted. Because these Defining Moments matter greatly in symbolizing transitions into different seasons of life, we may be experiencing a time when utilizing creativity to shape these opportunities is extremely significant.

The following excerpt from The Power of Moments highlights one of these critical milestones, and I cannot help but think about the ways that Union University diligently seeks opportunities to create Defining Moments for its students.

“Take a high school student waiting for her college admissions decisions. Years ago, the decisions would arrive in the mail; not they’re as likely to come via email. But her emotions are the same. When the moment comes, her stomach churns. She takes a deep breath, opens the letter, and scans frantically for key words and phrases, and-there it is!-the sweet word Congratulations! She lets out a shout of delight and reads it again. Seven times.

That’s a great moment of pride and elevation…How could we heighten the peak? Just by applying the tools in this book, we can come up with many suggestions:

• Include a school T-shirt or sweatshirt or hat. Shouldn’t the student immediately feel like a part of the family? (Boost sensory appeal). To its credit, MIT went even further, sending its acceptance packet in a tube stuffed with a poster, refrigerator magnet, and best of all, confetti! (Breaking the script)
• Encourage the students to post a picture of themselves wearing the school swag on social media with a hashtag that allows them to connect with other admittees (Creating shared meaning)
• Deliver the news in a personalized video from the admissions director, sent straight to the student’s phone: ‘Katie, I just wanted to tell you how excited we are to have you join the class!’ (Deepening ties via responsiveness)
• Add anticipation by texting students that their decision will be available online at exactly 5:58 p.m., and they should use the following secret code to log in. (Raising the stakes)
• Have a current freshman text them the evening after they receive their admission, offering congratulations and asking whether they have any questions (Deepening the ties via responsiveness)
• Include a set of photos that highlight the freshman experience: 10 Things You Should Definitely Try Your First Semester (Multiple milestones)…

Life is full of ‘form letter in an envelope’ moments, waiting to be transformed into something special.”

Recognizing the reality that these Defining Moments normally shared with friends at school are either not occurring, or at least not in the traditional way, colleges and universities might grasp this opportunity to Surprise and Delight its new family by creating these moments to be shared in a virtual world in a very unique time of life events.

References:

Heath, C. & Heath, D. (2017). The power of moments: Why certain experiences have extraordinary impact. Simon & Schuster.