I recently was intrigued by an article in the Daily Times edition of Sunday, March 2^nd.  “Five steps to loving your job” was the title.  It was inspired by a book that I had received as a Christmas gift by Tom Rath entitled “How Full Is Your Bucket?”  The five steps as mentioned in the Daily Times article were: (1) Prevent Bucket Dipping, (2) Shine A Light On What Is Right, (3) Make Best Friends, (4) Give Unexpectedly, and (5) Reverse The Golden Rule.  The theory behind the five steps is that each of us has our own invisible bucket that is constantly being emptied or filled, depending on what others say or do to us.  When our bucket is full, we feel great.  When it’s empty, we feel awful.  We face choices every moment of every day; we can fill one another’s buckets with our invisible “dipper” by extending compliments, gratitude, and other rewards, or we can dip from each other’s bucket by extending negative or hurtful comments.

1.  To prevent bucket dipping, examine comments we are going to make to someone and measure their worth.  Are they positive or negative?  Refrain from “dipping” with negative comments.

2.  Look for positive things out of every interaction.  Shine a light on what is right, not dwell on the negative.

3.  Make a “best friend” at work.  Studies show that people with best friends at work have better safety records, receive higher customer satisfaction scores, and increase work-place productivity.  The book suggests making several or many best friends at work.

4.  Give little unexpected gifts to one another.  The element of receiving surprises never fades.  Some examples are, funny little trinkets, hugs (sometime little gifts that cost nothing are worth the most), offering to grab a cup of coffee, or sometimes just an unexpected smile.

5. The Golden Rule is the Golden Rule, and really what the book is suggesting is just a word variation that has a very similar meaning.  Instead of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”; the revision is ‘do unto others as they would have you do unto them.”  Bucket filling is most meaningful when it is individualized.  Know what people want and do your best to surprise them with it.

Although the emphasis of the Times article was on work, as I read the book, I understood the principle is for our “non-work” times as well; home, church, shopping, anytime; all time.  How full is your bucket?  How full is the bucket of those you love and care for?  Let’s fill ‘em up!

Get Wisdom & Understanding!

Dad