Positive Strategies for
Work and Life: How Full is
Your Bucket?
Laura Vande Brake
Matt Reed
The Theory

The Theory of the Dipper and Bucket
• Pretend for a moment that we each have an
imaginary dipper. When we inspire a positive
interaction with other people, we are using our
dipper to fill their buckets. When we fill other
people’s buckets, we also fill our own. When we
instigate a negative interaction with other people,
we are using our dipper to empty their buckets.
When we use that dipper to empty other’s
buckets, we also emptying our own bucket.
So Why is a Bucket Important?


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The bucket is where we
store our energy and our
self-worth
When our bucket is full,
we feel great
When our bucket is
empty, we feel awful
The Bad News First:
Negativity:
the consequence of
an empty bucket


Negativity is
unhealthy
Negativity is
expensive
Unhealthy?


High Blood pressure
possibly leading to heart
disease or a stroke
High Stress situations
which can lead to more
serious mental and
physical health problems
Expensive?


“Actively Disengaged” employees cost
the United States between $250 and
$300 billion per year in lost productivity,
not to mention costs with turnover, injury,
absences, and fraud.
It would be cheaper to pay some people
to stay home.
Killing Productivity




“The #1 reason people leave their jobs: They
don’t feel appreciated” (p. 30).
“Bad bosses could increase the risk of stroke
by 33%” (p. 32).
“A study found that negative employees can
scare off every customer they speak with –
for good” (p. 38).
“65% of Americans received no recognition in
the workplace last year” (p. 40).
Now for the Good News:
Positivity:
the consequence of a
full bucket
(The tools to make a difference)


Positivity is healthy
Positivity is inexpensive
Healthy?



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Optimism early in life predicted good
health later in life.
Positivity: The secret weapon
Energize your employees rather than
“checking in” on them.
“…Bucket filling is an extraordinarily
powerful leadership strategy…” (p. 29).
Inexpensive?




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Expressing oneself in a positive manner is
relatively inexpensive.
• Use words, a smile, or a note
Positivity increases productivity in individuals
and organizations.
Positivity increases engagement among
colleagues.
Positivity decreases employee turnover
Free opportunities presented each day!
Taking Every Moment!

“…We experience literally hundreds of
potential turning points in a given day…”
(p. 43).

“We experience approximately 20,000
individual moments in a waking day.”
(p. 53)

How many of those moments do you
remember?
What about Your Moments?


What do you focus on when you are
talking with people? Is it good? Is it bad?
“Ninety-nine out of every 100 people
report that they want to be around more
positive people, 9 out of 10 report being
more productive when they are around
positive people” (p. 47).
The Magic Ratio:


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(5:1) Five positive interaction to every one
negative interaction is ideal.
(3:1) Significantly increases productivity
(13:1) The upper limit – there is such a
thing as being too positive…
It’s important to not ignore negativity and
weakness. “Positivity must be grounded in
reality” (p. 57)
Make it Real!

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Be an expert at bucket-filling
People are most grateful for recognition
when it is personal, detailed, and welldeserved
Just as each person is unique, so must
you be unique when you his or her
bucket
Make it Personal


Don’t!
Use a one-size-fits-all
approach
Use recognition that
seems forced or false


Do!
Know the individual
personally
Be genuine, let it come
from the heart
The lesson is clear: If you want people to understand that you value their
contributions and that they are important, the recognition and praise you provide
must have meaning that is specific to each individual.
Not only is individualized bucket filling more effective in boosting productivity in
the workplace, it builds sustainable relationships and changes people’s lives
forever (p. 84).
Fill Your Bucket

Identify those individuals who fill your bucket.
• What do they believe about you?
• What do you also need to believe about
yourself?

Identify when you dip from your own bucket.
• What do you tell yourself that is not true?
• “Why bother”
• “It doesn’t matter”
• “No one will notice anyway”
Change Your Life

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You can measure the positivity in your
work/behaviors/actions by your level of
self-love.
“How much you love yourself and how you
feel about yourself is directly proportionate
to the quality and integrity of your word”
(Ruiz, 2003, p. 23-24).
The 5 Strategies

Prevent Bucket Dipping
• “Try to catch yourself bucket dipping – then
stop it” (p. 87).

Shine a Light on what is Right
• “Every interaction gives you an opportunity to
shine a light on what is right” (p. 91).

Make Best Friends
• “Great relationships lead to a significant
increase in life satisfaction” (p. 96).
The 5 Strategies (Continued)

Give Unexpectedly
• “A gift doesn’t have to be anything big to be
successful” (p. 100).

Reverse the Golden Rule
• “Do unto others as they would have you do
unto them” (p. 103).
Resources:

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Clifton, D. O. & Rath, T. (2004). How full
is your bucket? New York, NY: Gallup
Press.
Ruiz, D. M. (2003). Wisdom from the
four agreements. White Plains, NY:
Peter Pauper Press, Inc.
Activity
Let’s fill some buckets!!!