👣 Step 45: Make It About Them

The past week I've been (aside from moving): 1. working on my app, 2. creating a marketing presentation for a conference (submitted. Fingers crossed I'm selected), and 3. preparing for my Servant Leadership facilitation for Sigma Chi's annual workshop - and all 3 of them have had one thread in common.

Make it about them.

When creating a product or service, you need to be customer-focused. You need to constantly, vigorously focus on them and what they want from it - not what you want.

In marketing, you need to focus on the receiver and understand what they care about. What do they value? And how does your story relate to their life in the way that matters to them so that they can take the action you prefer?

As a servant leader, you are leading for others. It's an others-focused leadership style. You're not leading for the sake of power, authority, or ego. You're leading so that you can empower others to become their best selves.

I believe we should approach life the same way.

Make it about them.

We all know the leader who makes everything about themselves. The bully. The narcissistic. The executive who's just in it for power, money, fame, or another form of leverage.

We also know people who pursue growth and development purely for personal gain. The person attending networking events just to gain new clients. The person reading self-help books and listening to motivational podcasts so they can seem smarter and more put-together at the social function.

All of these motivations are the wrong reason for doing these things.

We should make it about them - about the other people in our lives.

What's great about this approach is this: your actions don't have to change. Only your intentions do. Now:

• You're seeking a promotion so you can increase your impact and create a stronger workplace culture.
• You're networking with others to strengthen your community and see how you can benefit others.
• You're reading self help books and listening to podcasts to learn new things so that you can share the knowledge and empower others.

The actions don't change. The personal benefits don't change. The intentions do. And even more importantly, the lives of others change for the better too.

When you give, you get back more in return. You build goodwill with others and strengthen your relationships. You provide value where otherwise you wouldn't. Plus, you just feel good when you help someone.

And the whole time you're doing this, you're still gaining personal benefits.

People want to help others who have helped them in the past. It's human nature.

So, if you're doing the same things and gaining the same personal benefits, why not make it about others?

Make it about them.

See you next Thursday, Steppers.

We will succeed,

Grayson

​graysonstepanek.com​

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Song of the Week:

All I Wanted Paramore PREVIEW   ​

Have I shared this before? If so, oh well! Every time I'm reminded of this song, I relapse and feel like I'm hearing it again for the first time. How Hayley Williams pulled this chorus off is beyond me. The strength and range are truly insane. Going listen to this another 5 times now.