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Wednesday, June 30, 2010

How Full Is Your Bucket?

This book is a fast read and one that is effective in delivering a clear message: Positivity pays big dividends. While there has been a lot said, written, and shared about the power of positive thinking, positive interaction, and positive focus this books identifies where it all began as a psychological study. Written by Tom Rath and Donald “Don” O. Clifton, Ph.D., this books is the culmination of nearly fifty-years of work performed by Don, the “father of Positive Psychology”. This book is truly a gift to anyone who reads it and is a testament to why the American Psychological Associate (APA) in 2002, recognized Don’s pioneering work and dubbed him the the “Grandfather of Positive Psychology” and the “Father of Strengths Psychology”. While Don had written many books, including the well received Now, Discover your Strengths he asked his Grandson, Tom Rath to join him in this final creation based on a theory he created in the 1960’s.
  

A Focus on the Positive
In 2002, around the time Don was recognized for his professional contributions, he learned an aggressive and terminal cancer had spread throughout his body. While alarming, Don chose to take action to apply his energy in a positive direction, the result is How Full is Your Bucket written with the close collaboration of his Grandson, Tom Rath. The book is based on a simple theory about how interactions with other people are defined as ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ based on the metaphor of a “bucket” and a “dipper” and the idea that everyone has one of each. This theory was applied over the last 40 years in more than 5,000 organizations, and by more than 1 million people, and counting. The magic of the book is that is often passed on to a friend, colleague, or a loved one and continues to carry out Don’s life work in Positive Psychology.

So, What is a Dipper and What is a Bucket?

  • A “bucket” is where you keep each positive interaction you have
  • A “dipper” is use to add to or take from the bucket of others

  
Think of each daily interaction as a drop of water in your bucket. Each drop in your bucket quenches a natural thirst for positive interaction. If you go through each day having positive interactions with people, you will find your bucket overflowing with positivity. If, on the other hand, interactions are negative, it is as if someone is coming to you, and “dipping” into your bucket – taking the good and positive from you. If you are choosing to be negative, you are emptying your bucket as you empty theirs as well.

Fast Facts About a Full Bucket

Beyond praise and recognition at work, of more than 4 million employees surveyed worldwide, including more than 10,000 businesses in 30 industries regular recognition and praise produce the following results in employees:

  •  Increase their individual productivity
  • Increase engagement among their colleagues
  • Are more likely to stay with their organization
  • Receive higher customers loyalty and satisfaction scores
  • Have better safety records and fewer accidents on the job

 Five Reasons Every Moment Counts

  •  Moments are like drops in your bucket – in a day you are likely to have 20,000 individual moments
  • 5:1 Ratio – it has been determined for every negative moment, it takes five positives to recover
  • 13:1 Ratio – it has been determined that 13 positives is the maximum response to a negative interaction
  • Optimist have less than one doctor visit per year, pessimist average 3.5 doctor visits per year.
  • Positivity can increase your life span by 10 years

There is a science to positive thinking, and behavior. What is also true is that common sense can be applied to keep blood pressure normal, and joy levels above average: avoid negative people and environments. Do your best to find positive interaction opportunities at home and at work. Whether it is a compliment or recognition it is a moment where you can fill two buckets – theirs and yours.

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