Choosing to Making a Positive Difference

How and when can we choose to make a positive difference?  Part of this depends on understanding what needs to change and knowing what to change to.  The circle of concern has a role in this decision.  We can choose to make a positive difference in our circle of influence and our circle of control.  We need to move through the three phases of change--awareness, acceptance, and action (Slides 8 and 9)--before we can begin to take the action to bring about the change that will make a positive difference.

We have lots of freedom in our choices.  I have chosen to make a positive difference for clients and organizations I worked with as an organizational development and change management consultant.  More recently (on 9-11-2001), I decided to make a difference by being a classroom teacher for English language learners (ELLs). 

This year I am looking to make a positive difference in new ways--working with new clients and organizations and school systems.  In my earlier choices, I made lots of one-on-one differences.  Now it is more effective to make a difference by teaching others to duplicate these efforts.

In my volunteer work with the American Red Cross, I started as a water safety instructor, then became a first aid and CPR instructor.  After teaching classes for years, I became an instructor-trainer in each of those health and safety areas and eventually cross-trained in disaster services and became a leadership volunteer.  Many years later I made a positive difference with the American Red Cross by helping organize a "CPR-Sunday" event where volunteer instructors came together in facilities provided by the community and trained 800 people in CPR for free in one day.

Making a positive difference is habit forming and is a habit I thoroughly enjoy.