This article was published as one of our weekly tips. It sparked a lot of interest with some writing to talk about their 2mm favourites. We’d love to hear what small changes you think make a big difference. Scroll to the bottom of the page and share your thoughts.
Are you a runner? Or do you, like me, suspect that joggers probably need some help!
There would be several minutes’ difference between me running a mile and someone who can run. Then look at the difference between that person and an Olympic runner – again there would be a big difference in time. Now look at the difference between 1st and 2nd in the last Olympics 1500m race – 13 hundredths of a second.
Learning to be world class is not something that can happen overnight. The elegance and simplicity of a true expert can mask the years of practice that have gone into the apparent effortlessness. However, sometimes a big difference in results can be created by a tiny change.
Many of you reading this are already excellent at what you do – I’ve met several of you and know the readers of our tips to be resourceful, clever, hard working experts. However, there are many resourceful, clever, hard working experts around. What does it take for you to stand out from the crowd you are part of? Maybe it takes a lifetime’s dedication to excellence. Maybe there’s no alternative to committing yourself to the ‘great cause’ and spending years perfecting your craft. I’m not suggesting there is a short cut to being world class.
But that’s the bad news challenge. The good news is that sometimes there are tiny distinctions that separate the excellent from the good, and these distinctions can be learned. You can see them everywhere once you start looking. For example it can be in the way we say something – knowing what words are just the right words in certain situations. Anthony Robbins talks about the change from excellent to outstanding being a 2mm difference in the way we hold ourselves.
Just recently I’ve added something to my training. I’ve started pointing out the subtle ‘2mm’ moments as they happen and collecting them on a flipchart. By the end of the workshop everyone has, in addition to the central learning of the session, gained a list of important but tiny things that can help them stand out from the rest.
Do you know, I wonder if adding the ‘2mm Difference’ flipchart to my workshops is a 2mm Difference in itself. Now I wonder what 2mm I could use to help influence myself to run when I take the dog out today rather than stroll!
Call to action:
- Write down all the tiny things that enable you to be as good as you are. What subtle change would cause you to become even better in these areas?
- Get details of our next Communication Mastery conference which is full of 2mm Differences that transform the way people communicate.
- Write to me (Justin@Kaizen-training.com) and I’ll send you a list of my favourite five 2mm Differences – the ones I think are easiest to learn and yet reap a surprising reward.
1. Firing off the appropriate anchor to produce the most effective state for the circumstances
2. Remembering to look for the opportunity to give a compliment
3. Always using somebody’s name – their preferred name
4. Saying ‘thank you’ – especially for the little things. I think it was St David who is quoted as saying ‘Keep the faith, and do the little things’.
5. Telling people whom you phone/e-mail that ‘if there is anything else you need, just give me a call’.
When asked how I am, I always reply with something really positive like ‘brilliant’ or ‘fantastic’. Often it’s true but, on those occasions when a more honest answer would be ‘alright’ or the horrific ‘not bad’, saying “I’m great, thanks” helps jolt me into a more positive frame of mind and usually has a similar impact on the person who’s asked the question. Try it!
These are all great tips. The common themes seem to be about respecting others and remembering that the way you are has an effect on others.
Great observation Alex – really nicely summed up.
So what are your favourite 2mm differences?
Great tip Justin! Thinking about this for me, my biggest 2mm distinction is my posture. Just getting into the habit of putting my shoulders back and lifting my chest slightly, and standing in a ‘centred’ way, makes all the difference in the world.
When people talk to me I listen to them as if I’m listening to my favourite piece of music.
To give the gift of listening has been a very powerful experience for me. I did not know what really being listened to felt like until a few years ago when a wonderful doctor listened without interruption to me for only 5 minutes but the result for me was that I felt so amazingly better afterwards that now I try to do the same for others whenever I can. No interruption, not even stray thoughts…just pure listening. It’s powerful stuff!
Whenever I finish having a conversation with someone I always end with “You have a great day!”, and the more negative the conversation/person I’ve been talking with has been, the more enthusiastic I am when I tell them to have a great day! Always makes me feel great and maybe some of my enthusiasm will rub off on them!
1. Firing off the appropriate anchor to produce the most effective state for the circumstances 2. Remembering to look for the opportunity to give a compliment 3. Always using somebody’s name – their preferred name 4. Saying ‘thank you’ – especially for the little things. I think it was St David who is quoted as saying ‘Keep the faith, and do the little things’. 5. Telling people whom you phone/e-mail that ‘if there is anything else you need, just give me a call’.