Delight

The Significance of Unexpected Joy in Business and Life

When was the last time you were truly delighted? Not just pleased or satisfied, but caught off guard by an unexpectedly wonderful experience that made you pause?

Delight is a rare and powerful currency. It lives in the moments when something exceeds expectations; when a human connection sparks joy; when a product or service delivers something you didn’t even know you needed

Delight isn’t just an emotion—it’s an experience. It creates loyalty, deepens relationships, and makes us want to share what we’ve found. But in a world optimized for efficiency, delight is often overlooked. It may not be a measurable KPI, but it matters when you get it right.

Here’s a question for you:

How can we be more intentional about creating delight in our work, relationships, and everyday experiences?

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NOW: Realization and Reflection for Today

The most memorable brands, the most trusted relationships, and the most engaging experiences have one thing in common: they don’t just meet expectations—they exceed them.

In the business world, companies that create delight don’t just fulfill a need; they anticipate desires and add a sense of magic. Think of:

1. Apple’s Packaging – The slow, smooth unboxing experience isn’t accidental. It’s designed to feel luxurious, making the first touch of a new device feel special.

2. Ritz-Carlton’s Service – Their legendary ability to remember guest preferences and personalized service makes every return visit feel like a homecoming.

3. Chewy’s Handwritten Notes – A simple yet powerful reminder that a brand can care deeply about its customers.

Between humans, delight can be found in the small details—a handwritten letter, a genuine compliment, an unexpected moment of generosity.

Think back:

• When was the last time you felt delight?

• What made that moment stand out?

The Now is about recognizing that delight is a choice. It happens when we slow down, pay attention, and intentionally craft experiences that go beyond the expected.

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NEW: Learning and Experimentation for Tomorrow

Delight isn’t accidental—it’s designed. And like any design process, it takes curiosity and experimentation.

Here’s how I’m thinking about creating more delight in my work with clients and my life in general:

1. Surprise and Personalization

Whether in business or personal life, small unexpected gestures create an outsized impact. How can we add a moment of unexpected value to every interaction?

2. Reframing Everyday Moments

Seeing delight as a practice rather than a random event. Can a mundane task be infused with joy? Can a client experience be transformed into something memorable?

3. Removing Friction

Delight thrives in simplicity. Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Prime delight customers because they remove obstacles, making experiences seamless. How can we strip away unnecessary complexity to create ease?

Ask yourself:

• Where can you add an unexpected touch of delight in your work or relationships?

• How can you reframe a routine experience into something that sparks joy?

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NEXT: Vision for Future Possibilities

Imagine a world where delight isn’t an afterthought—it’s a strategy. Businesses that create delight don’t just have customers; they have advocates. People who create delight in their relationships don’t just have connections; they have deep, meaningful bonds.

This future of delight is built on:

Anticipation – Knowing what people need before they ask.

Thoughtfulness – Taking the time to add a little extra care.

Humanity – Recognizing that in an automated world, personal touchpoints matter more than ever. A retrofit of sorts.

Ask yourself:

• What would change if your company or personal brand made delight a core strategy?

• How would your relationships evolve if you prioritized delight in every interaction?

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Payoff: The Lasting Power of Delight

Delight is an amplifier. It takes the ordinary and makes it unforgettable.

In the Now, we recognize where delight already exists and where it’s missing.

In the New, we experiment with ways to create more of it, both in business and in life.

In the Next, we make delight a strategy, knowing it has the power to build loyalty, trust, and human connection.

So, here’s your challenge: Find one way today to create delight for a customer, a colleague, a friend, or even a stranger.

Because in a world that often feels transactional, delight is the differentiator that makes experiences, and relationships, truly remarkable.

"See all without looking; hear all without listening; be attentive without being servile." ~ Cesar Ritz, Namesake of Ritz Carlton philosophy (1898)

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Follow me on LinkedIn. Or DM at tobin@spatialshift.com for more information.

My new start-up is based on the strategic narrative of Actionable Delight. If you want to learn how to build Actionable delights into your narrative, book a free consultation with me, and let's consider the possibilities.

I am a Narratologist and my craft is to help others find and design their unique form of self-expression. For companies, it is about alignment around a Narrative Northstar and the mission to achieve it. For executives over 45, it is about owning your narrative equity and actively sharing or spending it. For movements, it is about generating visible narrative equity that inspires a call to action.

My personal narrative is about improving human connection.