When I first moved to Colorado, I was introduced to this conversation topic done at the dinner table by my (totally awesome and amazing) sister. High Point, Low Point has played a significant role in how drastic my ways of thinking have changed from that classic southern lifestyle to who I am today. It has been such a major part of my transition, it deserves it’s own page. What is High Point, Low Point? It is the best part of your day and the worst part of your day. Every Day may not be a good day, but there is something good in every day; some days we just have to look a little deeper to find it.
The rules to this game, (we’ll call it a game to keep the kiddos interested) is that you must have at least 1 high point for the day but the amount of high points a person can have is infinite. For every low point a person has, there must be a high point. Everyone must participate. We also play that whoever calls for High Point Low Point to start first does not have to say their’s first.
Have you ever encountered the creature called teenager? Well I have one and she is equipped with laziness, enormous amounts of attitude, too much sass, and a whole lot of love when she wants something. HPLP has kept me tuned into her life. Half the time I have no idea who or what she is even referring to but this is the one time a day I absolutely get to listen to her while trying to ask questions using context clues from her stories. Electronics are down, everyone is participating (again, thank you sister!). I encourage every parent to apply High Point Low Point to the dinner conversation. It can be refreshing and possibly eyeopening to see the world through your child’s eyes.
I do High Point, Low Point with my team at work. With new team members, they often have concerns about their own performance. This conversation piece not only allows me to open the door to open ended conversation, it also allows me to address any concerns they may have. Once someone has been with the team for several months, they really start to focus on each other’s performance. However HPLP allows me to keep them focused on the goals at hand, which is whatever makes our business operate best for that season. By implementing HPLP in the work place, it allows me to build stronger bonds with the team members individually, almost forcing me to listen to them lol, just kiddin. Seriously though, people want to be heard. Listening to them goes a long way. I encourage every member of management and leader to use High Point Low Point in their day. Sometimes your team will surprise you with what they think and some ideas they may have.
When I go on adventures or attend events with people, such as the phenomenal Garth Brooks concert in Denver or when sister and I were locked in the car with our three kids for 6 hours at a time traveling for our cousin’s wedding, HPLP game is definitely played. It is a great conversation starter, a bonding tool, and a way to gauge another’s thinking process. It is also a nice way to reflect on the time everyone just spent together.
I encourage everyone to play the High Point Low Point Game. I would love to hear the different ways it effects your day to day. It has definitely been a major part of my life for the past 5 years and I more than appreciate everything it has brought to my life from being a mother to being a leader at work to even being a better friend with my gals.