“A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that 1,100 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
Three minutes went by, and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace, and stopped for a few seconds, and then hurried up to meet his schedule.
A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping, and continued to walk.
A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.
The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.
In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world. He had just played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.
Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?
One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?”
Today’s ever changing corporate environment calls for new kinds of people management skills.
From managing teams to peoples problems and handling customer service,an empathetic approach helps create a positive difference and transform work culture.
So what is empathy after all?
Empathy is about being able to perceive and understand another’s point of view using their frame of reference.
To sense the flow of the moment with another.
To communicate with & be able to understand another’s perspectives insecurities and pain points.
Empathy is a positive approach aimed at improving teamwork and building teams , bridges gaps of communication implementing changes through appreciation, support & encouragement than unnerving others with negativity & criticism that can be rather demoralizing.
Empathy can create and build trust and rapport that you can tap into. In using empathic responses, problems can find meaningful and lasting solutions.
In using empathy with skill, you show respect & value for another.
There is a huge wave of empathy oriented approaches in businesses across the world. This is truly valuable and must be encouraged.
After all empathy is a main contender in a list of skills that show emotional intelligence quotient of an individual.
Can you waltz on ice?
When winters turn grim and cold
Can you create joy an cheer?
Even in moments of melancholy.
Can you see a silver lining of hope?
In the dark dreary night to help you cope
Can you see beauty in every dusk and dawn?
Letting go of fear & doubts in the twilight hours.
Can you instill trust in another & move in faith?
Inspite of not knowing the way as yet.
Can you believe you can lead the way?
Inspite of being in a maze in the now.
Clearly then you are dancing in this moment.
Clearly you are waltzing on ice.
A beautiful post on Germination of Ideas by my dear friend Ali Anani brought me to spring forth with some of my reflections.
Birthing ideas…
Ideas find their own way to germinate
At times they stay dormant almost invisible and untraceable.
And sometimes they emerge out of nowhere
As if they have a mind all their own.
So whether there are plenty of ideas or one is starved of ideas.
It matters not where they originated from…if it is the mind or heart spaces.
But it matters what path they take how they are applied?
What seeds they sprout in the emergence?
And yet, an idea that remains undeveloped, unappreciated today becomes a genius breakthrough someday.
On too much and too less
Too much of liberty and free will
At times may lead to aimless explorations and confusions.
Too less freedom leads to slavery and subjugation.
Too much thinking can create stress and be overwhelming
Too many ideas can be hard to contain.
Too little fodder for thoughts leads to bland existence.
It’s our choice actually…
Are we to live or simply exist?
Is there a paradox of enrichment?
Is overdoing a crime
To answer this, I ask
Is there bad in the good and good in the bad?
Too much of anything will lose its charm and character.
Appreciation declines and contentment reduces.
As it all turns to excess!
So I believe in equanimity that comes in finding equilibrium
Moderation is the key.
Too much sadness is unbearable
Too much happiness may lead to boredom.
For in too much of the good times
Values are lost and things are taken for granted.
Let there be a balance
In thoughts words and deeds
So there is neither depression of deprivations
Nor extravagance in enrichments.
Guess like ideas find their way to shoot in suitable time in time.
Like life itself, ideas also know how to balance and counterbalance themselves in life and living.
Sometimes life gives you beautiful memories where you least expect it from. Or maybe all happens for a reason. We were meant to meet!
A month back, work took me all the way to China. And while some industry visits were happening as scheduled, a small moment of connection and conversation resulted in great joy and camaraderie. Met some very beautiful and loving hearts. We warmed up almost instantly with each other. We shared much about our cultures, our food and traditions. We spoke to each other from the heart all with the help of a translator app. It was such a beautiful flowing conversation. We circumvented language barriers although I spoke in English into the app and them in Chinese. It hardly came in the way. By the end of it what mattered was the joy that emerged. The beautiful moments shared will always be treasured in my heart.
Thankful to the useful translator app that made it so simple. And helped create fond memories of that day!
