The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact

by Chip Heath

You can’t appreciate the solution until you appreciate the problem. So when we talk about “tripping over the truth,” we mean the truth about a problem or harm. That’s what sparks sudden insight.

A few minutes can change a life. These moments didn’t just happen; thoughtful teachers made them happen.

Wiley sums up the research: “More than 80 per cent of supervisors claim they frequently express appreciation to their subordinates, while less than 20 per cent of the employees report that their supervisors express appreciation more than occasionally.” Call it the recognition gap.

The larger point is that most recognition should be personal, not programmatic.

The recognition is spontaneous—not part of a scheduled feedback session—and it is targeted at particular behaviors.

The style is not important. What’s important is authenticity: being personal not programmatic. And frequency: closer to weekly than yearly. And of course what’s most important is the message: “I saw what you did and I appreciate it.”

Researchers have found that if you conduct a gratitude visit, you feel a rush of happiness afterward—in fact, it’s one of the most pronounced spikes that have been found in any positive psychology intervention.