In a world that can seem to be obsessed by big, we can forget the power of small. And I think it’s a secret power, possibly even a superpower.
Consider the switch in just two words, and the impact.
Back in my corporate days, I worked for a lot of different leaders. Quite often the shiny new leader would be busy reshaping everything. The phrase “seeking first to understand” maybe lasted the first month or so.
What people tend to hear is “yes, but…”
The “but” means “let me tell you what’s wrong with what you just said”.
You can imagine how that makes people feel.
So imagine when those two words become “yes, and…”
And the feeling that generates.
The power of three letters
You could sense how it made people feel, no need for words. It says I’ve heard you, I respect what you’ve done and here’s how I think we could make it even better.
All from one different, three letter word.
The power of small.
The power of small actions
You might not be the biggest business around, but in many ways that frees you up to make the smallest actions, and make them count. I shared in November the example of Lift Stores in Southwold and their donation to Shelter instead of Black Friday discounts.
Small (though not insignificant to their income), but impactful for their customers, and for Shelter.
There was also the handwritten thank you note from David that came with the order. Or Lift it Forward that happens with every 200th order.
Small actions. Big impact.
Think small. Achieve big.
Sometimes we can spend ages thinking about the big plan, the big impact. How to write a post that goes viral. How to be at the top of the Google results.
Perhaps it’s time to do some small thinking. Some small actions. Some small words.
Do it with big heart.
Thanks to the brave embracers of small
To David at Lift, for inspiring small actions. To corporate leaders brave enough to swap “but” for “and”. And to brand owners sharing the love around for other brands, even in the same business as them. Finally, to storytellers and shop owners tracking down the best tasting stuff.
May embracing small ever pay big dividends.
