I speak to CEO forums, key executive peer groups, and organizational teams across the globe to help them maximize the value of their group experience and lead high-performing, happier teams. The most rewarding part of my work is knowing that for the audience members, no matter how many leaders are in attendance, they take away ideas and action items that make a positive difference for them and those they lead.
I take solace in the fact that while I can’t reach everyone, I make a difference for those with whom I engage, whether through in-person and virtual presentations, the books I author, or the more than 150 articles I have written for CEOWORLD Magazine. While I would like to make a positive difference in the lives of even more people than I do, I am grateful for my work, and often think of the following story to put it in perspective.
The Starfish Story
Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so he walked faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.
He came closer still and called out “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”
The young man paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean.”
“I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” asked the somewhat startled wise man.
To this, the young man replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”
Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, “But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”
At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, “It made a difference for that one.”
Adapted from “The Star Thrower” by Loren Eiseley (1907-1977)
Perspective
These feelings came to the forefront during a recent vacation to Italy and Portugal. During our trip, my wife and I visited Florence and enjoyed the experience of ordering a glass of wine through one of about 150 wine windows you’ll find across the city.
Wine windows are exactly what they sound like: windows for ordering wine. “If you are wandering through Florence, you might see a few random windows lining the walls of the city. They were created as far back as 1559, when Cosimo de’ Medici, the ruler of Florence, allowed wealthy, noble families to sell wine they produced out of their homes (via Atlas Obscura).”
Read More: https://www.tastingtable.com/1140313/the-origin-of-florence-italys-wine-windows/
“Devour Tours says that this allowed noble families to avoid the additional taxes of opening a wine shop to sell their bottles, but in the 17th century, these wine windows served another purpose. Between the years 1630-1633, an epidemic hit the city, and these wine windows became the perfect way for residents to safely purchase wine without coming in close contact with another person. In 2020, when the initial waves of the COVID-19 pandemic hit Italy, some of these windows were re-opened and used once again for their intended purpose: passing wine across the sill.”
While the history is fascinating, there’s more to these wine windows than social distancing and tax avoidance. The ordering experience is as simple as it is wonderful. The wine servers are not just serving wine through a small hole in a building, they manage to bring joy and delight to their customers – one person at a time. The ordering procedure typically requires the customer to ring a bell or knock on a door. The exuberant server appears, takes the order and rings the bell to let you know your order is ready before passing you the glass. It’s a personal exchange you’ll never forget. Why? It’s simplicity with a smile – and who doesn’t need a glass of that occasionally? It’s a moment that transcends everything happening in your life and one you will never forget. And while the wine windows can’t serve everyone, they make a difference for those who do.
Summary
No matter how big or small we see our role in life, we can choose to make a positive, even magical, difference in someone’s day if we embrace the power we have to make someone feel special, even for a moment. I love my work more than anything I have ever done professionally. While I hope the content makes a difference for those I touch, I mainly want them to leave our time together feeling the same joy for their work as I do my own and know how much they matter in their group or team.
How can you bring a little magic to those you touch? If we all sought to make a positive difference in the world for even just one living being at a time, we could imagine every one of those starfish finding their way back to the sea.
Written by Leo Bottary.
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