Stephen H Baum Leadership

From time to time one of my faves — and AmyK is one of those — tells a story to my CEO Group members or clients that I think is so powerful it is worth sharing. So, with attribution to this most wonderful of workshop leaders (she is available on a retainer basis) here is my paraphrasing of and poetic license with it:

A woman buys a bag of cookies in an airport and sits near her gate to work on email and enjoy the cookies. Having no table and with all seats now occupied, she puts the cookies in her oversized handbag and places it at her feet. Presently, the man sitting next to her reaches down and comes up with a cookie in his hand and begins to consume it. “The nerve,” she thinks but says nothing. She reaches down for a cookie and consumes it. He does the same.

Finally, he reaches down and comes up with a cookie and breaks it in half, giving her half and consuming the rest. She is fuming. Who on earth would be so obtuse and selfish as to do such a thing. But she is a leader of her company and proud of her control of her emotions which are running high.

The “PA” for the flight is called and she picks up her handbag and gets on the flight, intending to re-tell the story of her experience with this miscreant to anyone who will listen. She goes to put her handbag in the overhead when a full bag of cookies falls out of her bag to the floor. “Omigod,” she exclaims to no one. “I have been eating HIS cookies.”

Moral of the story (as seen on the wall of a friend’s office):  dont believe everything you  think! Even if you think you have seen it with your own eyes. What you think drives how you feel which drives how you behave which drives what you experience which drives what you think. And so on.

That’s just my view. And if you liked this post, tell your friends. Or leave a comment.

If you wish to  know more about AmyK Hutchens, visit her website:

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