THE RIPPLE EFFECT
by Impact365
Every interaction leaves a mark. A word of encouragement, a moment of attention, a small act of kindness — each one sends a ripple that travels further than we'll ever know. Every ripple matters. Start yours.
A note before you read this.
This one is different.
Every issue we send you a skill, an insight, and a challenge — all wrapped up in about three minutes. That format works. We're keeping it.
But this week I want to pull back the curtain on something we feature in every single issue that I'm not sure we've ever properly explained: AIM.
Last week, Leland and I were doing an interview for a Super Connector segment. We met with Roger — a business leader, sharp thinker, and someone we deeply respect, At some point he leaned back and said something that surprised me.
“I read the newsletter every week. I see the AIM section. But I’ve never actually heard the story behind it. What is it? Where did it come from? Why does it matter?”
Great question, Roger.
What followed was a simple conversation about why we do what we do. So instead of summarizing it, we’re sharing it — word for word.
— Brett
The AIM Conversation
A Q&A with Roger, Leland, and Brett
Roger: Every issue has this section called the AIM — Authentic Impactful Moment. I’ve read the stories, but I don’t fully understand what I’m supposed to do with it. Can one of you walk me through it?
Leland: Happy to. But let me start with our mission, because AIM grows directly out of it. At Impact 365, our mission is simple: to teach and inspire others to make an impact on the lives they touch. Every day. That’s the whole thing. And AIM is how we bring that mission to life. It’s a real, specific moment where someone made a small, intentional choice that created a meaningful impact on another person — not a sweeping gesture, not a major life event. Just one moment, done with awareness and care, that left a mark. And then we look at what rippled out from it.
Roger: Why a moment? Why not a strategy or a system?
Leland: Because moments are where leadership actually lives. When you ask people to tell you about a leader who inspired them, they rarely give you a strategic overview. They tell you about moments. Moments are the unit of real impact.
Roger: Interesting. Go deeper.
Leland: Creating AIM’s is a mindset and a skillset. That’s why we focus on the 9 Impact Gap skills. It’s about more digesting the AIM stories — it’s about recognition. Most people don’t realize when they’re in an AIM. They’re rushing, distracted, managing a hundred things. And they miss it. So the AIM section is partly about inspiring people with a story, and partly about training your eye to see these moments when they’re in front of you.
Roger: So you’re developing a skill, not just sharing a story.
Brett: Exactly. And here’s where I want to push it one step further. Even when people are paying attention, there’s a gap between noticing a moment and actually choosing it. That’s the part I care about most. An AIM, done right, isn’t just authentic — it’s intentional. You see the moment. You decide to step into it. You choose what you’re going to say or do with purpose. That’s what separates a leader who occasionally stumbles into impact from one who creates it consistently.
Roger: Can you give me an example?
Brett: Sure. You’re walking out of a meeting, and you notice a team member sitting at their desk, head down — deflated. Many people walk past. But an intentional leader stops, makes real eye contact, and says something specific: “I saw how hard you worked on that proposal. I know it didn’t go the way you wanted. That didn’t go unnoticed.” That’s an AIM. I’ll also add, learning the nine skills not only allows you to recognize potential impact moments, but also recognize when someone is applying the skills to you, allowing you to receive part of the ripple effect. This is what leads to becoming a Super Connector.
Roger: And the ripple — where does that come in?
Brett: Moments never stay contained to the moment. That team member goes home and tells their spouse, “Someone actually saw me today.” Or they show up the next morning with a little more fight in them. Or three years later, when they’re leading their own team, they remember what it felt like — and they do it for someone else. You don’t get to see most of that. But it happens. The ripple travels whether you’re watching or not.
Roger: That’s powerful.
Leland: That’s the point. When you realize impact compounds — that one moment can echo through someone’s life and into the people they lead — it changes how seriously you take the small stuff.
Roger: So how does someone start?
Leland: Slow down the moments you’d normally rush through. The beginning of a meeting. The end of a school day. The drive home with your kid. Instead of going on autopilot, ask yourself: Is there someone in this moment who needs something from me? Asking the question is what opens the door.
Brett: And when you find one — make a decision. Don’t just react to it. Choose it. That’s what makes it authentic and impactful. You can do something kind accidentally. But an AIM requires that you’re present enough to decide. That intentionality is what makes it leadership, not just luck.
Roger: Last question — why authentic?
Brett: Because the moment has to be real. People can feel the difference between someone who stopped because they genuinely cared and someone who stopped because they were supposed to. When you step into one of these moments, you’re telling someone: “You matter enough to me that I stopped.” If you mean it, they’ll know. If you don’t, they’ll know that too.
Roger: I’ve been reading the AIM section like it was a feature. It’s actually instruction.
Brett: That’s exactly what we intend it to be.
Your AIM Challenge This Week
Find one moment today — just one — where someone in your world needs to be seen. Stop. Choose it. Say the specific thing. Don’t let the moment pass because you were too busy or too unsure. You have 1,440 minutes today. One of them is waiting for you.
— Brett & Leland
That’s it for this week. No skill framework. No bullet points. Just a conversation we think was worth sharing. If it resonated, forward it to a leader in your life who needs to hear it.
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