[2021-05-26] Even if you never know it
This morning, I had a phone call with a fellow public servant while on my morning walk. He wanted to seek my input on a course he's adapting on oral briefings.
At the conclusion of our discussion, he thanked me not only for today's feedback but for my prior willingness to speak with him. We met through Twitter in 2017 when I commented on an initiative he had undertaken. I thought that what he was doing at that time was cool, and I wanted to encourage him. We subsequently met in person and have connected a few times over the past four years.
In his case, I have some idea of the value I've brought to his life. However, that's probably not the case for the majority of my encounters. Every day, I interact with individuals, often never knowing whether something I said or did made their life just a little bit better.
American Olympian Greg Louganis captured this well when he said: "Never underestimate your ability to make someone else's life better—even if you never know it." For me, the key element in this statement is the final clause: "even if you never know it."
Would we make a greater effort to improve someone's life if we knew the positive impact we would have? Would we take that extra helpful step if we knew just how much another person needed it?
I believe that the answer is yes. Think of fundraising events with speakers who share their story of being helped by an organization. We're more likely to donate to that organization when we know the benefit of our contribution. Think of companies that donate a portion of their revenues to a social cause. Many of us are likely to favour an organization that supports a worthy endeavour over one that appears to be motivated solely by profits.
While we can't always know how our words and actions affect others, we can control the extent to which we tell others about their significance in our lives.
Here are a few ways to do that, based on my own recent experience giving or receiving praise. Tell a call centre agent how helpful they have been and how well they answered your questions. Leave a comment on someone's social media post explaining that what they wrote resonated with you and why. Let a neighbour know how much their beautiful landscaping lifts your spirits. Go beyond simply thanking someone for a gift by letting them know how it made you feel.
Your telling others about their positive impact on you could create a ripple effect that leads others to do the same.
