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Adding value to others begins with what may appear to be nothing more than a subtle shift in behavior. As we will see, it is a radical shift in behavior and thinking. The shift is this “moving from making a difference for people to making a difference with people. This will save your leadership from thinking that you are the entire picture to the exclusion of the BIGGER picture.

John Holmes says it best; “It is well to remember that the entire universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others.” WELL SAID!

If you desire to live a life of significance then you must add value to others. Is it necessary for me to say it this way – significance and selfishness do not go together. There is no way to live a self-centered, selfish life in which you focus upon yourself and ever think that your life is going to matter to others around you.

There are five essential values of adding value to other people.

To add value to others I must first value myself. John Maxwell states that who we are determines how we see others. Said another way we do not see people as they are, we them as we are. Author Brian Tracy states that there is a relationship between our self esteem and the health of our personality. The more you respect yourself the more you will respect others.

The most effective way to turn positive thinking into positive actions is to perform positive actions consistently.

To add value to others I must value others. Mother Teresa stated once that the greatest disease is to be a nobody to anybody! Question: How often do we look past others without really seeing who they are? Every person has value and to live lives that matter, we need to intentionally value others and express that value to them.

To add value to others I must value what others have done for me. Gratitude is not supposed to be exhausting – it is to be invigorating. When we put gratitude ahead of attitude, it is exhausting. Have you heard the phrase, Count your blessings! When you take the time to that very thing you become stimulated to do for others. You have to count your blessings before you can be a blessing

To add value to others I must know and relate to what others value. Here are seven qualities that John Maxwell suggests to get at the heart of this point:

• Availability – I choose to spend time with others
• Listening – I will listen my way to common ground
• Questions – I will be interested enough to ask questions
• Thoughtfulness – I will think of others ad how to connect with them
• Openness – I will let people into my life
• Likability – I will care about other people
• Humility – I will think of myself less so that I can think of others more

To add value to others I must make myself more valuable. The idea of adding value to others is dependent upon the fact that you have something of value to give them. It is easy to add value once. If you desire to make this whole-life effort you must grow and become more valuable.

If you believe that adding value to others is worth it over the course of your life, then answer these three questions:

1.What have I been given? This is a look backward

2.What do I have to give? This is a look inward

3.What can I do? This is a look outward

LINKS

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Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!