Imagine you?re attempting to make a change in your workplace. The issue could be as simple as a procedural change. It?s a change that will benefit the company and the bottom line. You see the benefit and take the lead in making the change occur.
Here?s the challenge. In order for the change to be effective, you will need the participation of several other people (or departments).
Do you write a memo and tell others?
Or do you take the time to discuss, get input, and sell others?
In the movie Forrest Gump, Forrest gives the evil eye to Jenny’s hippie-peacenik-boyfriend as they board the bus back to Berkeley.
Two things about Forrest’s glare are worth noting.
“The tendency of everyone is to evolve.”—Romario
And I certainly continue to evolve.
Gumption 2.0was a huge jump from Gumption 1.0. It took my original seven tenets and trimmed it to three.
Today, Gumption 2.1 debuts and will hereafter be called Gumption.
Gumption 2.1 renames two of the three principals.
Mindset becomes Mindful
Moxie becomes Intentional.
Graciousness stays the same.
So, why the change to Gumption 2.1?
After my wolf-spotting weekendin Yellowstone Park, I pondered the following question. Do wolves have gumption or Gumption?
The answer is Yes and No to both.
Traditional gumption is defined as:
Gumption(capital G, italicized Gump) is defined as:
So wolves are mostly Yes on numbers 2 & 3 for both traditional gumption and Gumption.
But they are a No for number 1 on both accounts.
Let me explain.
Fifteen-plus years ago I started working professionally as a Forrest Gump impersonator/look-alike/tribute artist. I’ve used the expression ‘gump-like’ thousands of times to describe a person, one of their attributes, or to define an interaction that occurred between myself and another.
Forrest Gump had many admirable and notable character traits. One of those traits was Forrest’s ability to be kind. Being gump-like is having the ability to show consideration, be helpful, and be affectionate and loving. Check out being gump-like Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,and6here.
Gump-like is being kind.
During his famous Run Across America, Forrest meets a man who is struggling in the T-shirt business. The man wants to put Forrest’s picture on the T-shirt, but because “he couldn’t draw that well and didn’t have a camera” … he didn’t know what to do.
At that exact moment, a semi truck passes in front of both men, the tires hit a large puddle, and mud splashes right up into Forrest’s face.
The T-shirt man gives Forrest a yellow shirt and says, “Here, use this one. Nobody likes that color anyway.” Forrest wipes his face, returns the shirt, and graciously says, “Have a nice day.”
It was a simple and kindly way for Forrest to conclude what could have very easily been interpreted as an unpleasant experience – instead, he turned andsaid, “Have a nice day.”
The man stops running and examines the shirt. A muddy “Happy Face” is visible.
In a voice-over, Forrest says, “And some years later, I found out that that man did come up with an idea for a T-shirt and he made a lot of money off of it.”
Movie fiction? Absolutely.
The power of being gracious? Not to be underestimated.
The possibility of new ideas arising from a single act of kindness? I’m a believer.
When you wish someone a nice day, there are no limits to how nice their day may become.
Next Blog Title: I’m Not a Smart Man … But I Know What Urgent Is
Next Blog Date: September 26, 2011
.
