The Bam Effect: Generate some amazing energy!

For years one word slips out of my mouth more often than not. You guessed it! That word is bam! You can ask any of my family members or my co-workers through the years. This one word brings with it so much excitement, energy, passion, and for me joy.

It is a reset word. A shock and awe word. A word that promotes excitement and induces energy. When you say it, it lifts you up. It repositions your mind into a state of action. One of our core organizational values when I was a member of Team Paducah was "Action Oriented." That is what the bam effect creates. It gets you engaged. It gets you excited. It gets others mentally prepared to go with you on your journey toward success.

One of the core lessons you learn in the Midwest Leadership Institute, which I highly recommend, is that there are 9 emotional affects a person may experience. Two of which are positive, one neutral, and the remaining six are negative in nature. Bam is closely aligned with the neutral affect, surprise (startle). Surprise is a reset affect that takes the mind and body out of the the two positive affects and out of the six negative affects, but only momentarily. The result of the surprise or the reset will then send the person into the positive spectrum or the negative spectrum based upon the response of the individual themselves.

Hence, the use of the word, bam, may induce your teammates as well as yourself to shift into the positive affects of interest (excitement) and/or enjoyment (joy) rather than tarry in the negative affects of fear, distress, anger, shame, or disgust. I have loudly exclaimed this word on numerous occasions and it does get people's attention (surprise/startle). I have seen excitement generated from the inducement of surprise and I am sure there have been some negative affects created by it as well. However, I contend that bringing excitement and enthusiasm to the task with you is very important. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said. "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."

What does bam mean? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines "bam" as a sudden loud noise that is often used interjectionally to indicate a sudden impact or occurrence. Bam! Interject some energy into your conversation. Demonstrate some passion. Bring the intensity. Rollout the shock and awe.

When our paths cross in the future, be ready for the bam! I will bring the energy and channel my inner enthusiasm. Enthusiasm after all is one of the core values at Arndt Municipal Support Inc. We all need a healthy dose of enthusiasm to help each other along in our success journey.

I challenge you to channel your inner bam today as you work with your team. Draw out the energy and joy from within yourself and your fellow teammates. Bring the joy! Bring the excitement! Bring the Bam!

Keep shining...