Polle de Maagt
Thoughts
collected since 2006

Notes on acts,
not ads.

Newest first. What I think and what I notice: reflections, principles, rituals and organisations that act instead of advertise.

2026
7 OctReflection Ingvar Kamprad took the bus. Acts, not ads 7 OctReflection AI clears my head. Technology 7 OctReflection I work in a different time zone. Yourself 6 OctReflection The best speaker gifts I ever got. AnswersHow do I thank a speaker? 6 OctPrinciple Let AI do the chores, not the joy. Technology 30 SepBest practice The red napkin. AnswersHow do I spot the guest who needs a little extra? 30 SepBest practice Innocent: the banana phone. Acts, not ads 30 SepRitual The Van Zummeren trophy for making the game better. AnswersHow do I bring more play into family life? 30 SepBest practice Personalised wine tags. AnswersHow do I make personal attention repeatable? 30 SepPrinciple Thoughtfulness needs a system. AnswersHow do I make personal attention repeatable? 30 SepReflection Beige is not a colour. AnswersHow do I show what we stand for, without saying it? 30 SepRitual Keep a box of proof. AnswersHow do I see what I have already done? 30 SepBest practice Joshie the giraffe. AnswersHow do I give staff room to decide? 27 SepBest practice Boyfriend waiting line. AnswersHow do I spot the guest who needs a little extra? 24 JulReflection Good questions, good invitations. AnswersHow do I ask a question that opens the room? 15 JulReflection The brain fry is real. Technology 15 JunReflection You still have to know things. Technology 19 MayBest practice The $2,000 rule. AnswersHow do I give staff room to decide? 15 MarBest practice Amazon: a mailbox is not enough. Strategy 12 MarReflection 38° view, not 360° view. AnswersHow much should we know about our guests?
2025
6 JanReflection She put my beer down the wrong way. On purpose. AnswersWhat does a small gesture look like?
2024
25 JunBest practice citizenM: the guest experience bingo card. AnswersHow do I give staff room to decide? 7 MayRitual The LEGO week planner. Yourself
2023
15 AprRitual YES-day. AnswersHow do I bring more play into family life?
2022
19 NovReflection The Ukrainian railway leader who stayed with me. Acts, not ads 11 AugReflection The squeak system. Strategy 8 JanBest practice The Jane's 'Did you know' list. AnswersHow do I make personal attention repeatable?
2020
1 JunReflection Yes, there is a right and a wrong way to do post-its. AnswersHow do I design a meeting or a workshop day? 27 MayBest practice Netflix cancels members who stopped watching. AnswersWhat do I fix first: the basics or the surprises? 21 MayRitual Reflecting on meetings. Meetings 20 MayReflection How lobsters grow. AnswersWhat do I do when something no longer fits? 15 MayReflection Can you do things differently to be less busy? Yourself 8 MayBest practice Apple’s honest status page. AnswersHow do I repair trust after something went wrong? 8 MayBest practice Four 404 pages done right. Acts, not ads 19 AprRitual Remote Quarterly Review. AnswersHow do I make time for my own goals? 18 AprReflection Better saws. Strategy 13 AprPrinciple If you can't fix it with ice cream. AnswersHow do I repair trust after something went wrong? 13 AprPrinciple Deciding on ice cream. AnswersHow do we decide without ending on vanilla? 4 AprBest practice W Hotels: whatever, whenever. Hospitality 27 MarReflection On being late for meetings. AnswersHow do I get everyone's head into the meeting? 24 MarBest practice SaSaZu: your first visit. AnswersHow do I spot the guest who needs a little extra? 20 MarBest practice What a difference two cookies make. AnswersWhat does a small gesture look like? 4 FebReflection The CIA guide to sabotaging companies. AnswersHow do I get a slow change programme moving? 4 FebReflection LEGO: how hard times help you focus. AnswersHow do I focus when everything seems urgent?
2019
28 DecReflection I almost died. This is what I learned. AnswersWhat do I do when something no longer fits? 25 FebBest practice The secret compliment mole. AnswersHow do I keep kindness from turning into a campaign? 7 FebBest practice Booking.com hires through its source code. AnswersHow do I show what we stand for, without saying it? 3 JanBest practice VanMoof ships bikes as TVs. Acts, not ads 3 JanReflection On thinking less. AnswersHow do I think less and do more?
2018
21 DecBest practice Kimpton: the CEO’s phone number. Hospitality 21 DecBest practice Kimpton: raid the bar. Hospitality 21 DecBest practice Kimpton: the secret password. Hospitality 21 DecBest practice Kimpton: social hour. Hospitality 21 DecBest practice citizenM: free coffee for the first guest. AnswersHow do I spot the guest who needs a little extra? 21 DecBest practice Disney: housekeeping and the toys. Hospitality
2017
5 MarBest practice The CEO as customer service agent. Acts, not ads 16 FebBest practice Your umbrella, not the company umbrella. AnswersHow do I give staff room to decide? 6 FebReflection Un-training staff to act like humans. AnswersHow do I let staff act like humans again?
2016
3 AugReflection Change the default. AnswersHow do I stop the easy option from winning? 4 JulReflection 95% right. 100% wrong. AnswersWhen does personalisation get it wrong? 4 JulReflection Personalisation: it will get worse before it gets better. Technology 17 MarReflection How Amazon Echo made me a worse person. AnswersWhat does this product train people to do?
2015
14 AprBest practice A six-pack for the kitchen. AnswersWhat does a small gesture look like? 29 MarReflection Ripples, not trends. AnswersHow do I spot a change before it is a trend?
2012
13 JunBest practice A tribute to Drew. AnswersWhat does a small gesture look like? 11 JunPrinciple The suitcase principle. AnswersWhat do I fix first: the basics or the surprises? 20 AprReflection A plea for scripted authenticity. AnswersHow do I keep kindness from turning into a campaign? 2 AprBest practice Colruyt: fewer lines, less paint. Acts, not ads 19 MarReflection Securing your virtual will. Technology
2011
9 DecBest practice Automagic: nine automated mails done right. AnswersHow do I turn an automatic mail into a small act? 23 NovBest practice Zappos: 365 days to return it. Acts, not ads 3 OctBest practice Rules for the 98%. Hospitality 29 JunReflection Random acts of kindness. AnswersHow do I keep kindness from turning into a campaign? 3 JunReflection The baseline moves. Acts, not ads 10 MayReflection Four levers for change. Strategy 18 FebReflection Acts, not ads. AnswersHow do I show what we stand for, without saying it?
2010
18 NovBest practice Zappos: let’s wow this person. Acts, not ads 14 NovBest practice Nike’s Ekins: a brand people live. Acts, not ads 22 AugBest practice Johnny the Bagger. Hospitality 17 AugReflection What teachers make. Yourself
2006
9 AprReflection Doings instead of meetings. Meetings 15 FebReflection One-nil up before the conversation. Meetings 17 JanReflection Meeting techniques. Meetings
From the archive48 older pieces, left as they were →

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Polle de Maagt

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