You know how people say, Cheese!” when they are posing for a picture? Well, I think something was lost in the translation. My sister-in-law went to Mexico with her husband to visit his family. As everyone posed for a picture, they exclaimed, “Queso!” That’s Spanish for “cheese.” Makes sense right?
The problem is that when people say “queso,” their mouths form a dramatic round hole instead of a pretty smile. If they were to say “cheese,” their mouths would naturally form something like a smile. So they end up with a weird expression on their faces instead of a picture-perfect smile.
It makes for a funny anecdote. But it’s actually a really great example of a common phenomenon. People often do an activity that seems like a good idea. But it doesn’t exactly turn out the way they hoped. I’ve observed a couple different reasons for this common problem
First, they are not clear on the desired end result. This clarity requires asking, “What are we trying to achieve here?” In my silly queso example, the desired end result was smiles for the photo. But people didn’t really think about it that clearly. They just figured that when you say “cheese” people smile. They didn’t think that modifying the activity might bring out different results.
Second, They didn’t check in to make sure they got what they wanted. I mean, even a casual observer could look at the picture and say, “Whoa, that’s not what we were shooting for!” An assessment of whether or not the desired result was achieved would have been really helpful.
While this is a fun story, it can have broad and serious applications. What activities have you been involved in where you are seeking to make a positive impact? Are you giving money to a charity? Are you serving on a committee? Are you smiling at people in an effort to make a difference?
Now the real questions: Are you already clear on what exactly you are wanting to change in the lives of other people? Are your efforts producing the results you want?
Most people will never ask these questions. Getting into the inquiry, though, will set you apart as a person who really did make a difference.
