Today is Friday, so this post is on interpersonal competence.
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of Peggy McColl. Peggy is a best selling author of On Being…The Creator of Your Destiny. After we spoke, I logged on to Peggy’s website www.destinies.com. I came across a great article there called How Will I Serve? I read the article, and said to myself “I need to post this on my blog tomorrow”.
Below, I've excerpted Peggy’s thoughts on service. You can read the entire article by going to her website.
First a little, background, Peggy was a guest on a business talk radio show, along with Seth Godin, well known marketing guru. She liked what he had to say about service and helping people, so she wrote an article about it.
“One of the key messages I heard from Seth was that ‘the most successful people are the ones who interact with people because they want to help them. These people live their lives always giving, without an expectation of receiving something in return’.
“I believe and fully support Seth’s message. Giving is one of the most, if not the most important message you will ever hear. Too many people go about their lives, expecting other people to bring things to them, and when they don’t have their needs fulfilled by another, they become disappointed and disillusioned.
“Success comes as a result of bringing something of value to another – serving them in a way that is enlightening, empowering and expanding…If you want to be successful, that cause another to be successful.
“Serving another includes being loving toward yourself. Serving another is not about serving another in an way that will leave you less. Serving equals greater expansion for the receiver and the giver.
“Put the question HOW WILL I SERVE? on your desk, or mirror, or somewhere you will see it everyday. Ask yourself this question and then act on it. Look for ways to serve your spouse/partner, your business associates, your employees, your employer, your customers, your community, your children, friend and even strangers Live with the daily mantra of “How Will I Serve?” and then watch your life transform.”
In this article, Peggy McColl has hit on one of the keys to interpersonal competence – be willing to give to others first. In The Little Black Book of Connections, Jeffrey Gitomer says “be friendly first, and everything else falls into place”. His mantra is "give value first".
The common sense point here? Take the initiative to build strong relationships with the people in your life – much like Andy Fiffick (who I blogged about yesterday does) – and you will become an interpersonally competent person, one who people like, respect and want to work with. Give value first, serve others, and good things will happen for you.
That’s it for today. Thanks for reading. Log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense. Check out my other blog: www.CommonSenseGuy.com for common sense advice on leading people and running a small business.
I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.
Bud
PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open. Please go to www.FirstGiving.com.TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.
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