The Discipline of Intention and Effort
August 19th, 2010The Discipline of Intention and Effort
Recently I was at a local Starbucks waiting for a client meeting. I always like to arrive early, enjoy a beverage and reflect upon my day.
I sat at a table close to the Barista and watched the social interaction unfold before me. Human interaction and observation has always fascinated me. On this particular day, I was to observe an interaction that I felt important to share with you.
I watched as a professionally dressed young lady waited patiently in line for her turn at the counter. Upon approaching, she gestured by handing her resume over to the cashier, and I could hear her say the typical. ‘Could I please drop off my resume for any possible openings?’ The cashier accepted the resume with a smile.
The young girl glanced away nervously, turned and was gone as quickly as her brief interaction. I watched with amazement as the store manager approached the cashier and asked what had just happened. The resume was exchanged and the cashier commented on the image of the young girl and how she may impact the team if interviewed and hired. The manager, who looked quite busy and distracted by the crowd, took the resume and ran off into the back.
My initial thought was how the resume would have probably been tossed onto a large in-box pile to quickly be lost in the endless pit of loose papers and never looked at again; or worse yet placed in the infamous ‘resume’ file with all the other numerous applications. The positive image and impression explained by the cashier would be quickly forgotten.
I thought about what I had just observed and what this young girl could have done differently.
Every month I have a habit of listening to the famous Earl Nightingale audio recording, “The Strangest Secret”. (If you do not have a copy of this, please get one as soon as you can.) In the 1950’s, Mr. Nightingale talked about being aware of your daily planning and actions and how your results are a direct reflection of your thoughts. One key factor of success comes down to ‘intentionally doing more each day’, and holding yourself accountable for this action.
Reflecting on the interaction with the young girl, I thought about how her results and possibility of employment could have been improved significantly if only she made a choice to stay one more moment, influence the cashier even more, and quite possibly met the manager in person. At that time she could have requested an interview and influenced her destiny by choice. This would have required ‘one more step’ that could have changed her career and life.
It is safe to bet that the same girl dropped off numerous resumes that day, working through the same routine and ultimately getting the same disappointing results.
Now this is where you come in. Please think of your intentions and actions for today and what is one area of your career and life that you could do ‘one more action’ that will make all the difference for you, your career, your results and your success.
In my coaching work I often ask, “What is one thing missing for you; that if it were in place, would make all the difference.” Though coaching thousands of leaders, the answer inevitable always comes down to action and effectiveness.
It is my intention that this article will drive even a few people to take that extra step and reap in the guaranteed results.
For more ideas about coaching, business strategy and communications, please visit us at www.thorntongroup.ca.
Neil Thornton is the Lead Executioner of the Thornton Group of Companies. Neil can be reached at 905.401.1434 or neil@thorntongroup.ca.
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