I just finished the book How Full is Your Bucket by Tom Rath where he shares his philosophy on how we fill and empty our own and our friends/colleagues/associates buckets. What filling one’s bucket means is to share positive affirmations and praise. What can we do to keep our employees happy and productive? Add “drops” to their bucket.
Bucket filling takes deliberate focus and may be more difficult for some than others. I once had someone tell my (perfectionist) daughter that anytime she felt negative about a situation she should say, “at least” and then think of something that she could say after that. She was basically using mental conditioning to help guide her into filling her own bucket. This naturally leads to filling others’ buckets which in turn refills ours and so on.
In the past companies have tried to fill buckets in standardized ways such as employee of the month programs, plaques, etc. Rath argues that while this may work for some it may actually infuriate others. One of the facets of the book is that the positive affirmations or drops delivered need to be individualized, specific, and deserved. Rath suggests that companies develop a culture of positivity and appreciation and from there the individualized appreciation flows naturally.
Since the number one reason that people leave their jobs each year is because they don’t feel appreciated, it seems that we should give this bucket filling thing a try. What about your company? Do you have employees that seem negative, unappreciated, or unproductive? Try filling a few buckets, give it a bit of time, and see what happens.
If you want to learn more, click here for more info on the dipper and bucket theory, and resources to incorporate it into your life and business.
