The Starfish and Our Student/Customer
While walking along a beach after a particularly high tide, a man noticed a boy picking up starfish after starfish and throwing them back into the sea. When he neared the youngster, he asked, “What are you doing?”
“These starfish will die if they don’t get back into the water,” the boy replied as he hurriedly continued his work.”
“There are thousands of starfish on this beach,” the man said. “Nothing you can do can possibly make a difference.”
The boy held out the starfish he had just picked up. “It makes a difference to this one,” he said and threw it into the ocean.
Like these starfish, there are more students and customers in desperate need than any one of us could possibly hope to make happy or reach 100%. Their numbers are daunting, causing many of us to resign ourselves to the notion that nothing we can do can have any real impact on a problem of such magnitude. And if solving these problems and trying to make every person happy is the goal, they are right. But our the focus is on touching individual lives and you have a team to help you ;0). Some may think what we do may not significantly effect the world’s problems, but if one more person is much happier because you helped him/her with downloadable book or change of a coach. That would mean one less problem, if everyone helped perhaps the world would be a better place? It has a ripple effect (please read about in the success stories) .
But ,we know it makes a difference to each one of those students that you touched for the better.
Presented by Devin Willis
10 Comments
March 15, 2007 at 7:07 pm
This is a good story to remember because sometimes it does seem like the problems are too big for one person to make a difference. I have found that people also use that excuse in order to be complacent about certain problems or issues. I feel like I do get to talk to a lot of angry people but there are those that we get to talk to that these programs have helped and have made a large impact in their lives. Some times those we have helped get lost in the bigger picture and it is important for us to remember them, especially when the job seems too big for it to matter.
March 15, 2007 at 8:10 pm
This story was a great story to remember that we have the responsibility to do all that we can do for the students that have questions and concerns. I also have found that people use excuses for not going the extra mile to help other people. They find other things to do instead of following their gut feelings. I think and feel that if more people had an optimistic out view on life more people would do more to help one another. Justin S.
March 19, 2007 at 10:47 pm
I thought this story was good. It reminded me of when I spoke with Dave Greene about a student that we were trying to help. He said that the important thing to remember is the concept; Give a man a fish feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish feed him for a lifetime. Our job as custiomer service is to help the students to realize that they are receiving training that will help them for the rest of there life. Also that we can make a difference in their life. Good Story!
July 19, 2008 at 3:22 am
Please have Devin Contact me via my My Modern Kung Fu blog!
James
August 20, 2008 at 4:08 pm
This is true. we have many students that are like these star fish. They are gasping to live as they move through life. They are all close to going under and not making it to the water. Then along came prosper. we picked them up and started to help them one by one.The interesting thing is how we help them and as long as they do as they are coached they dont run into to many problems. this insnt a problem free road but it is a way to get the help you need as you move along a road with many turns and holes.
I also liked “Entrepreneurial Strengths Assessment” Powered by Prosper Learning post about Ethan Willis
August 31, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Note-I updated this story In August o8 from last year.
September 5, 2008 at 4:23 pm
The story is a perfect match for what you are trying to do with Prosper students. Great post Devin. We should look at Prosper students in this manner. Make a difference to that person’s life and remember it’s all about Karma.
matt
September 12, 2008 at 11:58 am
[...] “Devin Willis” + “Prosper Learning” + Starfish Story- My Discoveries on the Road to Prosper and Learn [...]
December 16, 2008 at 3:00 pm
[...] at Prosper, I am flooded with gratitude for our students and the people I work with to help change people’s lives one person at a [...]
December 21, 2008 at 12:54 pm
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