Think you are perfect? Are you compulsive about having things "just so"? If this describes you, embrace the red dot!
I was collaborating with a client on a huge leadership training project last week. We were putting the finishing touches on the last piece, the agenda. I received a frantic call from the client. It seems that there were two mistakes on the agenda. (Are you sitting down?) First mistake: three of the bullet points were square, not round. Second mistake: one of the bullet points was a red dot instead of a black dot. Somehow my eyes had missed the bullet point errors. Oh, horrors of all horrors….
I quickly fixed the first mistake. Each of the three square bullet points became round with just the click of the mouse. Ah, perfection! I was pretty proud.
But that stubborn red dot persisted no matter what I tried. I highlighted. I deleted. I changed font color. I cut and pasted. Nothing, and I do mean nothing, was working to change the color of that darn red dot.
My solution? I decided that there was a fabulous lesson in the imperfection of one red bullet point in a sea of black words on white paper. At that moment, I saw the beauty in the red dot. Like the "beat to a different drummer", I chose to embrace the red dot.
The dancing red dot on the white and black agenda was a beautiful sight. And a great reminder that it is OK to be human.
What is your "red dot"?
