Save String Too Short to Be Saved
“A man was cleaning the attic of an old house in New England and he found a box which was full of tiny pieces of string. On the lid of the box there was an inscription in an old hand: ‘String too short to be saved.’” Donald Hall
Some things seem too small to matter.
Small Things
Don’t be deceived by the spectacular. The most important leadership moments are often small.
- A passing compliment.
- An ordinary lunch.
- A story you’ve heard 20 times.
- A short note.
- A mistake that taught you something.
- A conversation that seemed forgettable.
Leadership is mostly short pieces of string.
Savor String Too Short to Be Saved
#1. Stories
Ask experienced people, “What was happening when you first started working here?”
Ask skilled people, “When did you know you were good at this?”
Ask a manager, “How did you get interested in this?”
#2. Ordinary Moments
Read great meaning into common events.
You don’t know which ordinary interaction someone will remember.
Donald Hall wrote that his grandfather “…read great meanings into common events.”
#3. Wins
Enjoy what went a little better today.
There’s nothing remarkable about celebrating spectacular results. Wise leaders notice boring progress. You insult everyday progress when you ignore it.
#4. Gratitude
A small thank-you says, “You matter. Your effort makes a difference.”
Use words that acknowledge effort, impact, and results.
Usefulness isn’t Everything
Not everything valuable looks useful.
- Simple stories preserve wisdom.
- Small wins sustain energy.
- Routine thanks strengthen people.
- Ordinary moments connect people.
Ordinary things are worth keeping because they remind us what matters.
What lesson from string too short to be saved deserves your consideration today?
An Unrushed Moment – Leadership Freak
This one hits home with me. Boiled down, life is full of simple human interactions that mean everything in the end.
Thank you for pointing it out and giving it a name.
Thanks, Steve. The insignificant interactions can be significant. I wish you well.
I’ve been reading “The Ministry of Small Things” by Reuben Bredenhof. It’s written for church leadership, but he argues for the same thing. Small gestures. They can make an outsized impact for good.
And I’m learning. A brief text sent to someone under affliction, or just to connect during the week, to say I’m thinking of you, those encourage the recipient. I’ve also rediscovered the impact of the handwritten thank you note. I try to send one after any interaction in which I’ve been the recipient of someone’s kindness or generosity. THAT makes an impact! Buy some cards. Send them out!
Thanks, Pete. I don’t send messages because I don’t want to bother someone one. But since when is a brief sincere encouragement a bother? Cheers
As a long-time reader of your blog, this gave me pause. What? How do you stay connected? Yesterday, out of the blue, a friend sent me a quick check-in message. I was delighted! She had been on my mind a lot, I’d been meaning to reach out, but I just kept letting life get in the way. Her message was all I needed to STOP, and give thought to her, what she was doing, how she was doing — all the things — and respond, which generated a lovely chat conversation. I never felt bothered, I felt appreciated and thought of.