What do we mean when we talk about our “value”?
Oftentimes defining our value means launching into a description of what our companies do and our role in the business. But, isn’t there more to who you truly are? Last time I checked we are humans, not machines.
As complex, interesting people, we have so much more to offer than a job description can provide. Throughout my career I’ve been witness to so many sales-y pitches and business development meetings where people sell their business before establishing a personal connection. You offer the most value by sharing yourself. We all have intrinsic value. It’s time to push past the rhetoric that business is business.
Because, actually, today business is also personal. It’s about people who are willing to take the time to foster genuine connections, build trust and share their stories, adding humanity back into a world of deadlines, and process, and numbers (oh my!). People want to work with service providers, vendors, customers and clients that they respect, admire, and feel connected to let alone understood by.
Quite often, this is easier said than done. Purposely avoiding your business related elevator pitch can be intimidating. It requires extra effort to connect when you shift the focus from the most obvious common ground you have with a potential client or partner. However, setting business to the side ultimately leads to a deeper connection. Think about it: How many people, in a day, do you talk to about what your company does and the value-add of your services?
Probably a lot, making it hard to recall specific conversations. What if each of those conversations had a different focus: your shared love of running, your favorite restaurants, how you deal with your kids’ temper tantrums, a struggle you have experienced, etc. Suddenly it’s a lot easier to remember the connections you’ve made and how you might be able to add value to their lives. You no longer have a static list of contacts, but a living, breathing network of PEOPLE.
It’s taken me a few years to master this form of connecting. After leaving a job at a large corporation, networking became as much about finding my voice outside of my previous role as it was about connecting with like-minded people. Understanding that my value was within ME and not my role/title allowed me to be more vulnerable and take more risks. The results, personally and professionally, were astounding; I came across people and opportunities I could have only dreamed of and this continues today.
The more I recognize my own value, the better I become at articulating it and inspiring those I talk with to do the same. I’ve found that one of the most important components of having a real, productive conversation is disconnecting from technology. With emails and text messages it can be difficult to separate people from noise. I’m not saying ignore your emails, but recognize that when you’re on a coffee date or a lunch meeting, it’s best to be totally present with the person in front of you. Respond to messages on your own time, rather than the time that someone else is giving you.
Focusing on the present and being mindful allows you to be more engaged, ask more questions and understand not only what a person is saying through their words, but through their body language. I learn more about a person’s business proposition through listening to them talk about themselves, versus directly asking them about it while thinking about all the emails in my inbox.
What it really comes down to is respect. We are on this earth to be among people, to connect with each other and become co-creators. Recognizing and sharing our value is not a transaction. It’s a two-way street. Lean into the conversations you’re having with people. Take a genuine interest in your connections.
Understand that your success isn’t measured by your title or role in your company; it’s measured in the satisfaction you have in what you do and how you live. You intrinsically have value—share it and see it in those around you.
Comentarios