Friday, February 21, 2014

Dangers of Empty Bucket People

Beware of empty bucket people.  They are on the loose everywhere.  Churches have them, retail stores have them, office buildings have them, and even coffee shops have them. 

An empty bucket person is … well empty.  Symptoms to look for:

Poisoned outlook on life
Low energy
Negative mindset
They snap back at innocent comments.
Sometimes they show a dour expression.

How do you cure an empty bucket person?

Fill their bucket.
Tell them something right with them.
Give them praise, even simple comments about how clean their shoes are.
Give them good eye contact and a smile.
Acknowledge their presence.
Esteem them as a valid human being worthy of respect.

An empty bucket person hasn’t had their fill of esteeming comments and experiences.  You will be amazed at the turn that comes when we focus on an empty-bucket person and bring them back to life.

When I worked retail I could spot the empty-bucket people when they walked in the door.  It became a challenge to me to see how quickly I could turn them into an ally.  I’ve seen it happen in two minutes, and the really hard cases sometimes took 10-20 minutes. 

All empty-bucket people really need is a bit of love and attention.  They need to feel validated.

VALIDATE!

P Michael Biggs
Offering Hope
Encouragement Inspiration
One Word at a Time


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