Make Every Interaction Count

This is the last slide from the most recent version of my POV on "micro-interactions". After reading Randy Pausch's book, "The Last Lecture", I was influenced and inspired by how he shared the memorable moments in his life with the rest of us—so much so that I kick off my presentations with his story about Disney.  His account of what mattered most was a combination of life's key moments, mixed in with lots of little ones, the things we often take for granted. Randy isn't with us anymore, but his influence can still be felt.  At least with me.  I'll need to to a better job in my own life if I really want to make every interaction count, as I state in my last slide. But I know it's the right thing to do.  For people, for organizations, and for the rest of us.

Thanks for the gift of The Last Lecture, Randy.  My thoughts go out to your family.

Comments

[Marc Meyer]

David, Sometimes I'll sit and think that I need to quit worrying about shit that will ultimately be so inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. The bigger picture items are family and family. Our biggest influencers are our family, our friends and the people we encounter on a daily basis. I've written about the people that we trust, but really the people that you trust are the people that matter in your life, in your day to day business dealings and your "micro-interactions". Makem count.

marc

[Elena]

David, your blog inspired me and my work allot and this presentation is simply awesome! Thanks for putting it together. I think that I will meditate a bit more about it because I need to shape my emotions to course of action.

[Dave]

Bravo. It is so easy to get caught up in the minutia of career, success, and work. The lucky (and smart) ones realize the importance of what really counts, and get to have it all. In Randy's case, we were lucky enough to have him as a teacher. I learned a lot from the last lecture, and used his example as a catalyst to look at my own life and interactions. While it is so sad that cancer had to take one of the "ones who get it," I am thankful that he used his predicament to hit us all over the head, and wake us up.

[Gavin Heaton]

Nice post, DA. It's good to be reminded of the power and importance of personal stories.

[Experiential Interrupter Pragmatisist]

I have no idea why you have a following. All you do is try to create standardized jargon from an outside, albeit organized, perspective.

The second advertisers stop "thinking" about or formulizing consumers and/or their "emotions" will be the day consumers finally react beyond an element of chance. No chart, diagram, made up word or fancy presentation about your predicament will rectify the situation. You are so full of the system and yourself that you have become the furthest thing from a consumer.

Enjoy your ride. I can't wait for you to crash.

[David Armano]

"Enjoy your ride. I can't wait for you to crash."

Pragmatist,

It's unfortunate that you chose this post to wish me harm, when the message is about making interactions count.

Fact is that if my professional life crashes—I'll be OK. I've been through worse and know what's important.

I feel bad that you're looking forward to the day I crash. It probably will happen. It happens to all of us.

[Don't hate the haters]

I wrote a book dedicated to Randy; http://www.lulu.com/elwood

Ironically, I kept from Randy my darkest secret: my mother died when I was only 8 years old from cancer (she was 46). A few years before Randy was diagnosed (November, 2005), I sent him a message saying "Spend some extra time tonight with the wife and kids. Work and money don't really matter. I have a feeling about you, and I know it sounds strange, (I'd never wish this on my worst enemy) but, I think you're going to die in just a few years."

Equally ironically, November 19th was the day she died, and also "Randy Pausch Day" in Pittsburgh.

[Marko Bon]

@Experiential Interrupter Pragmatisist [sic]

It's interesting that you chose to comment on a post regrading Making Every Interaction Matter -- in that your comment doesn't in fact have much to do with the post.

My guess is that you read through a series of previous posts, got fed up, and decided to leave your thoughts on this one.

If you were interested in engaging in a discussion you'd leave your comment on a thread where it does apply, hence making an interaction that *does* count. Which kinda proves this post, and by extension, the Practice discussed on blogs like this one.

[Mikej]

Great presentation as per usual David

I did a post on the changing nature of marketing and the somewhat diminishing value of the big idea

http://thingsdonotchangewechange.blogspot.com/2008/07/can-we-get-over-big-idea-already.html