How Full Is Your Bucket? Expanded Anniversary Edition

by Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton

Book Overview

The expanded anniversary edition of this strengths-based classic features powerful stories, actionable strategies and breakthrough discoveries grounded in 50 years of research. Includes access to Gallup's CliftonStrengths assessment.

Organized around a simple metaphor of a dipper and a bucket -- already familiar to thousands of people -- How Full Is Your Bucket? shows how even the smallest interactions we have with others every day profoundly affect our relationships, productivity, health and longevity. Coauthor Don Clifton studied the effects of positive and negative emotions for half a century, and he and his colleagues interviewed millions of people around the world. Their discoveries contributed to the emergence of an entirely new field: Positive Psychology. These same discoveries are at the heart of How Full Is Your Bucket?

Clifton, who also coauthored the bestseller Now, Discover Your Strengths, penned How Full Is Your Bucket? with grandson Tom Rath. Written in an engaging, conversational style, their book includes colorful stories and five strategies for increasing positive emotions.

How Full Is Your Bucket? is a quick, breezy read. It will immediately help readers boost the amount of positive emotions in their lives and in the lives of everyone around them. The book is sure to inspire lasting changes in all who read it, and it has all the makings of a timeless classic.

The expanded anniversary edition includes updated research and content and a workbook for individual and team development

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1595620036
• ISBN13: 9781595620033
• Release Date: August 2004
• Publisher: Gallup Press
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.77 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.2"
• Grade Range: Grade 9 and higher

Customer Reviews

Excellent!

Our Principal gave each faculty member a copy of this book. It is a delicious read. It gives real insight into the human workings. I found it inspiring & encouraging. I bought it for many loved ones to be Christmas gifts.

Simple Strategies for Great Results

The American philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson, once commented that the most powerful and influential tenets and ideas are the simple ones. This internationally acclaimed little book certainly proves Mr. Emerson was correct. "How Full is your Bucket?" proposes a straightforward theory that has now become world famous, and that is the theory of the dipper and bucket. In other words giving positive reinforcement to someone makes him or her stronger, filling their bucket, as opposed to spreading negativity, taking away from their bucket, creates more negativity. How often do you give someone at home or work an honest compliment or unexpected gift? Alternatively, how often do you point out the bad things about a spouse or work mate? According to many years of psychological analysis, these simple actions can make the difference between a happy marriage or a crumbling one, a productive work environment or a failing one. It is that simple. Imagine rising out of bed to greet the new day ready to conquer the world. You walk into work and Nadine Negative says, "Gee, Bret, didn't you wear that shirt yesterday?" You look down at your shirt and think, "Did I?" Then realize that you haven't worn it in at least a week. "No Nadine, I wore it last week." "I don't know." Shaking her head. "It must be your favourite shirt because you seem to have it on quite a bit. I'd think about a new wardrobe, Bret." Nadine slithers away, and for some reason, you do not feel like conquering the world but hiding from it. You collapse on the chair in your cubical and blankly stare at the computer screen. In chapter three of this text, "Every Moment Counts", proposes that even the seeming insignificant negative comments will empty your bucket, and if the ratio falls to the negative above 13 to 1, life will become untenable. On the other hand, if Nadine decided to comment on how good you looked that day, that she liked your shirt, filling your bucket, you would become energized and ready to tackle the world. Again, it is that simple. As head of a small team, I know from experience what a negative person or covert cutting comment can do to the group's morale and overall productivity. I'm always vigilant for any type of negativity, and this little book has simply reinforced the impact of emptying someone's bucket - it can be devastating if left unhandled, as it will spread like a cancer. This book will take perhaps thirty minutes of your time to read but could possibly change your outlook and modus operandi with your dealings at work, home and relationships.

Every interaction matters!

I was glad I read this book. It is based on years of research that is interpreted for use in everyday life. The message is simple but often overlooked -- every interaction counts. Through those interactions, we either dip or fill other people's buckets. I guess sometimes the most powerful things in life are also the simplest. This book reminded me of that. Paired with the useful strategies and the actual tools provided (the test, the "drops" they give", etc at the end), this is certainly a great book for anyone who wants to take that step towards having a more impactful and positive life.

Over flowing buckets

How Full is Your Bucket? is a quick, but worthwhile read. The books subtitle really says it all, positive strategies for Work and Life. The basic premise of the book is that each of us has as an invisible bucket. It is emptied or filled by what others say and do to us. Likewise we empty or fill the invisible buckets of others. The book goes on to give some examples of filling or emptying of buckets. Next the book goes on to list some practical strategies for filling buckets. They are as follows: 1. Prevent bucket dipping - ask yourself whether you are adding to or taking from another bucket. 2. Shine a light on what is right - don't focus on the negative, spend time, energy and attention of what is right. 3. Make best friends - great relationships lead to increased satisfaction 4. Give unexpectedly - the gifts can be material, trust or respect, but given unexpectedly increases their bucket filling power 5. Reverse the Golden rule - "Do unto others as they would have you do unto them". The book gives some unexpected gifts. In the back cover is a free id to allow you to use the "Clifton" strengthfinder - so you can discover your strengths. Also there is five strategies wallet card and oh wait a minute I don't want to ruin the unexpected gift factor. This is a great book. Buy some for friends and family.

Change your life, and everyone elses

I read this book the day I received it. In a sentence, I can tell you that the biggest statement that the book relayed is that if you fill someone elses bucket with positive energy, words and praise, it fills yours. In a few sentences... I will say that the authors vision and recommended actions, as well as reading examples in the book, really hit home. I was able to realize that by speaking in negative terms about things in life, whether they pertained to me, someone else, or life, really dipped from my own bucket of positivity. Positive actions reinforce one's ability to adjust and heal from within. Good words are contageous. Caring discussion with another spreads not only between you and who you are speaking with, but the energy from positivity spreads from individual to individual, a domino effect. A must read. Buy this book!