One of the benefits of retiring from the corporate executive world is that I now have more time to read, write, teach, and give keynote speeches. I was a stereotypic go-getter — in at 6:45 AM and at work until I got it done. While I always believed in working with others, my personal drive to get things done ASAP made that challenging. Today, I am working on being more of a go-giver.
The value of people
What’s changed? Since leaving the corporate world I have worked as a consultant. In this position, I can see just how valuable people are to each other in the business world. For example, I counsel a senior executive who lost his job in the recent economic downturn and had to deal with a sudden illness at the same time. By working together we have rebuilt his strength and belief in himself. Today he is ready to re-enter the labor force. I find good people who work well with others generally find the next venture is better than their last. I believe this will be my client’s experience.
Five Laws of Stratospheric Success
The reward and joy one finds in working through people is summarized very effectively in “The Go-Giver” by Bob Burg and John David Mann (thegogiver.com).
Here are Burg and Mann’s Five Laws of Stratospheric Success:
- The Law of Value – “Your true value is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.”
- The Law of Compensation – “Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.”
- The Law of Influence – “Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interests first.”
- The Law of Authenticity – “The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself.”
- The Law of Receptivity – “The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.”
A Passion for Giving
In my work, I derive the greatest joy from working in the hearts and lives of others. Paid compensation pales in comparison to the richness of the relationships I have formed. As Burg and Mann write, “All the great fortunes of the world have been created by men and women who had a greater passion for what they were giving – the product, service or idea – than for what they were getting.”
We need go-givers in the world now more than ever. Stay open to receiving and give the gift of yourself whenever you can. Giving leads to the most rewarding kind of success.
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