About Purpose is about your purpose.
Aim: Identify and articulate your purpose.
Arm: Shape yourself around your purpose.
Act: Achieve your purpose.
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One at a Time Starting with Me
Bob Ryan, About Purpose, Inc. ©2006
“Thousands of starfish washed ashore. A little girl began throwing them into the water so they wouldn’t die. ‘Don’t bother, dear.’ her mother said, ‘There are too many. It won’t make a difference.’ The little girl looked at the one in her hand and then threw it in. ‘It makes a difference to that one.’"
Based on an essay by Loren Eiseley, that story inspires me to believe that we can make a difference. Too often we look at how big a problem is and we feel overwhelmed. Almost everyday I hear someone (often myself) complaining about how society is changing, how bad politics is getting, how spoiled sports professionals are getting, how the rights of a few are limiting the rights of the majority, etc., etc., etc..
I say, quit your complaining! Don’t be a victim! Be more like the little girl in Eiseley’s essay and begin making a difference – one at a time.
I consulted for a small service agency once and often made calls in an empty office just outside their reception area. The public was rarely in the offices and the staff had gotten a bit lax about their language, often cursing loudly if something went wrong, using crude language in their jokes, etc. After a particularly loud expletive one morning, I simply called out, “What was that Sue? I didn’t hear what you said.” A mumbled, “Oh, nothing” followed. That day I did something similar a couple more times. After that, there was a noticeable change in that office.
Now that wasn’t so tough. It wasn’t really all that much of a personal or professional risk. And it made a difference. “Sue” simply became aware of her offensive behavior and put a stop to it.
Imagine the impact you could have on your workplace. Is there a gossip problem? Do people regularly misrepresent your product or service? Is petty stealing (of goods, time, ideas) commonplace? You can single-handedly begin to raise the ethical standards in your workplace simply by shining a light on the issue. This isn’t about whistle blowing or finger pointing. It’s about creating respectful, honest opportunities for people to question their behavior.
Repeat after me: "Starting with Me"™, change will happen.
Read more here at my website, www.aboutpurpose.com/articles.htm and click on the Ethics category.
Order the Personal Ethics Audit from the SWiM™ section and challenge yourself to change.
Use the Ethics Action Planner and actually do something.