Today’s T4D is an e-mail I recieved from a friend in the UK…it is a wonderfully concise and personal illustration of a very simple and profound(if applied) Principle.  Hope you enjoy it!  ~Kirk

Hi Kirk,

I’ve had this idea for some time but haven’t been able to really put it together.  It’s about the power of the individual to initiate change.  Most of the people I come across have no idea how much power they have to make a difference, the problems always seem too big for them to takle. Anyway, here’s a story and my reflections. Perhaps you’ll find some material you can use for a T4D.    Kindest regards as always, Lynne    

My husband, not usually known for deep meaningful insights, made a comment just recently that’s really given me food for thought. While driving round and round a very busy car park we came across a car parked across two spaces instead of one. My husband stopped for a moment and I thought he was about to start ranting about ‘the trouble with people today…’ but instead he said, “You know, it’s not the big things that cause problems in our society, it’s the little things. Whoever parked that car had no consideration for anyone else and that’s the problem.”   When you break it down like that it places responsiility squarely on our individual shoulders. Instead of hidng behind “They Should…” it becomes “I Can…”   I can make sure I park considerately. I can make sure I put my litter in the bin.  I can make sure I say please and thank-you. In a hundred small ways every day each individual can make a difference.  

The same can apply to an organisation. So often I hear help desk people complaining that their second line has no concept of customer service, don’t see themselves as part of the whole support team, etc. They have all raised this with their manager who of course either hasn’t done anything about it or doesn’t have enough clout to make things change.  But ask them what they can do about it personally and they don’t have a clue.  How about asking someone from second line to join you for coffee? Start by forging a single relationship and inluencing just one person. If communications in your team/department/oganisation are poor don’t wait for ’someone’ to do something about it. Take it on as a personal challenge and change your organisation one person at a time.  

Remember: Every day, every minute, there is a choice, always a choice. Make this moment count! 

Thank you Lynne …. we will!