In a powerful little book, How Full is Your Bucket?: Positive Strategies for Work and Life, it reminds us of how important all the moments in our lives can be --- each one with the capability to have an enduring influence. As a leader, co-worker, friend, mom, sister, wife or partner, it also reminds us how important our words and actions can be in influencing someone else's moments and experience:
"According to Nobel Prize-winning scientist Daniel Kahneman, we experience approximately 20,000 individual moments in a waking day. Each "moment" lasts a few seconds. If you consider any strong memory --- positive or negative --- you'll notice that the imagery in your mind is actually defined by your recollection of a precise point in time. Rarely does a neutral encounter stay in your mind --- memorable moments are almost always positive or negative. In some cases, a single encounter can change your life forever."
When I read this again, memories flashed through my mind. I remembered the moments of victory when I shared some wonderful success with someone. I also had a flashback of a dreadful moment many years ago when I was a new manager at IBM. My best employee put her head on her desk one time and said, "I wish I were a problem." I had been so consumed with other problem employees, I had unintentionally left her without the support she needed. In my personal life, both the joy and sorrow came back vividly. Nothing neutral came up in these instant reflections.
Just being reminded will make me more conscious tomorrow about the influences I have on others' moments ---- and also on my own.
How about YOU?
What influence will you have on the 20,000 opportunities in the days ahead?
Warm regards,
Debbe
Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
www.globaldialoguecenter.com
Home of Women in the Lead
Twitter: @debbekennedy
Author...
Putting Our Differences to Work
The Fastest Way to Innovation, Leadership and High Performance
by Debbe Kennedy ▪ Berrett-Koehler ▪ 2008 – Hardcover
Foreword by Joel A. Barker, futurist, filmmaker and author
Comments