Recap: The Art of Bucket Filling
Relationships happen one interaction at a time. If the vast majority of those interactions are positive, the relationship will blossom. If too many are negative, it will wither and die.
This week’s posts revolved around a simple concept to help maximize the positivity.
The checklist
- How full is your bucket?
- Each of us has an emotional bucket and dipper. If our buckets are filled, we feel great. If they’re emptied, less so.
- Our mission is simply to add at least a few drops to the other person’s bucket in every interaction.
- And the best thing is that filling another bucket also fills our own.
- 9 great ways to fill a bucket.
- Smile, add humor, complement, praise, give, express gratitude, listen, show interest, and validate.
- Consistently deploying these bucket-fillers needs plenty of practice.
- 7 great ways to empty a bucket.
- Sulk, scream, belittle, neglect, forget, gossip and destructively criticize.
- Mostly, we know all too well when we’re emptying buckets. Stop.
- The art of constructive criticism.
- Constructive criticism is essential for personal and professional growth. Learning how to give and take it is a crucial life skill.
- Get the timing right, don’t get personal, communicate your intent to help, and know when to stop.
The simplicity of the bucket philosophy makes it quite easy to keep in your awareness as you go through your daily interactions. This awareness is all that’s needed.
Give it a try, one interaction at a time.