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In the "Leadership for the Future" session, Jody Shelton is describing the skills and attributes of great leaders, and she mentioned a book I hadn't heard of that sounds quite interesting: The Fred Factor. "Fred" was a postal worker who would introduce himself to people who moved into homes on his route, welcome them, and offer to collect their extra mail and save it for them if they traveled for an extended time. He made a great impression on the author of The Fred Factor.

Jody shared some questions you could ask during an interview to find out if potential employees are "Freds":

- Who are your heroes and why?
- Tell me three things that would delight most customers.
- What's the coolest thing that's ever happened to you as a customer?

I've never asked these questions in an interview, but I might try it the next time I'm hiring.