Significant Moments that Lead to Long-Term Change
Chip and Dan Heath’s new book, The Power of Moments, offers four elements that are present in memorable or defining moments in our lives and work. Examples directly connected to schools offer powerful evidence of the impact of such defining and transformational moments. These elements are:
- Elevation—experiences that rise above the routine.
- Pride—commemoration of people’s achievements.
- Insight—realizations and transformations.
- Connection—times that bond us together.
In The Power of Moments, ideas are offered for ways to create each of these elements intentionally, using multiple strategies to create powerful experiences that can lead to defining moments. In coaching, we also incorporate each of these elements in robust coaching conversations. Coach Leaders affirm accomplishments of others or reframe struggles into challenges or goals to support forward movement, offering a sense of pride rather than struggle or defeat. Using powerful coaching skills of committed listening, powerful paraphrasing, and powerful questions, we offer up the opportunity to perceive from multiple perspectives and assist others in broader thinking. Sparks of insight are moved forward into actions that are courageous and build confidence. Coaches ask our coachees to remember experiences of success in order to reconnect with their strengths. These reconnections remind us of times of elevation, or peaks in our lives or work. Our work is firmly tied to connection as we are charged with working effectively with multiple stakeholders.
What we know about the power of coaching is that our deep conversations are only the beginning. The insights, not taken to action, are dying dreams. Moments of elevation come and go, and attention begs to be given to creating and remembering these peaks, rather than wallowing in the “what’s wrong” mental state. Effort and milestones deserve our pride, even if the end goal is elusive. Our work is about relationships—connection. When we lose sight of the relationship aspect of our work, we will meet dead ends. When we connect with others, trust is built and maintained, and our work and lives are enhanced.
The four elements of Elevation, Pride, Insight, and Connection offer us hooks for provocative and fruitful conversations that lead to long-term plans and solutions for lasting change.
