Catch People Doing Good

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Let me relate a little an activity that I use during trainings that leads to seeing the positive of the person. In the first part of the training, when everyone has to be introduced to each other to put them at ease, I introduced an activity called positive impression. I have two ways of implementing the activity. Either they write on the paper posted at the back of each participant or they write on each one's paper placed on each chair as they move clockwise so that they would be able to write for all the participants.

The next thing? They read of course and I can really hear the ohhhs and ahhhs and laughter and giggles and see expressions of disbelief on their faces. Then I asked them about how they felt about things written on the paper for them. The common feeling was "happy". When I asked them how often they get appreciated. They answered me with "rarely". Even they themselves thought that they are quite stingy with appreciating.

Now with my point. Obviously we are happy with appreciations. But then, isn't it that the answers of my trainees are also true to us? Why do we seem to withhold appreciation or saying positive comments to others when we catch them doing good, or excelling somewhere, or when they are successful with their lives. Hahahah it seems to be that releasing such would place them more at the pedestal and us left out. It seems to be that saying those positive lines would make us less successful or happy ....etc. Why aren't we giving that which makes us and others happy?

What I learned the most in those years that I was in the academe is to catch people doing right rather than being quick with punishment. The true essence of education is touching lives of students so that they would be able to translate the same to action (this holds true to parents educating their children). Punishing students or children or employees for not learning or meeting standards won't help. We give feedback to improve. Allow repetitions for review. Test - retest if necessary so as learning sinks in. Or allow children at home to perform tasks not well done.

And so when we rather choose to catch the good than finding fault, we do not only give the other person the chance to expand and grow but also ourselves to widen that space for anyone to come in our lives. We expand. We grow. We multiply. And, affect more lives of others. We shine so bright.

Lastly, here's another thing. What you really, really focus on? It will grow. So if you focus on the negatives...that will also grow...not in the other person but in you growing like that of a poison. Rather if you focus on the positive...it will have the same impact. Positive can only come from positive (not its opposite).

So catch people doing the right thing and shine the brightest star in you. Don't you think this one's part of true living rather than making ourselves stick with some rigid rules of the do's and don'ts of life?

Well one time i heard someone shouted at the top of his voice "get a life"... hahahhaha :-)