I just finished reading a powerful little book by Ty Bennett, who is a professional speaker on the topics of influence and leadership. I have had the pleasure of hearing Ty speak many times and even though I purchased his book “The Power of Influence” in 2011, I had not read it. When I had the opportunity to hear him speak at a speakers workshop a week or so ago, I decided to pick up his book and finally read it.
It’s not a big book but it is packed with powerful tips to be a better leader and create greater influence in your sphere of influence. It really got me thinking about the power of contribution in influence and how it can create greater prosperity in our lives and I am not just talking about financial prosperity.
Webster’s dictionary defines prosperity: the condition of being successful or thriving; especially: economic well-being. It describes prosper as 1: to succeed in an enterprise or activity; especially : to achieve economic success and 2: to become strong and flourishing. I think that the power of contribution allows us to prosper in many areas of our lives.
According to Allan Luks, author of “The Healing Power of Doing Good”, contribution leads to what is often referred to as the “helper’s high”. When we contribute, serve others and perform acts of kindness:
• The body releases endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller. • We experience a rush of euphoria that facilitates the endorphins being released
• Stress related health problems show signs of improvement
• We experience a feeling of well being for hours after the event or when we remember the event
• Our immune system strengthens
So my question for you is; how are you serving others in your business? How are you creating a culture of contribution and stepping up as a business leader? Here are some tips to help you be of greater service in your business.
• Sell to Serve. Selling is about providing something valuable that you know will enrich your client or customer’s life. Come from a heart space whenever you are in a sales conversation. Make it about them and how you can help them.
• Practice humility. Many of you are experts in your field. Expert status does not mean that you are above anyone else. It means you know more about an area of interest and maybe have more experience and knowledge. Remember, every master was once a disaster.
• Engage others by being interested instead of being interesting. Become a great listener and listen more than you tell. Ask probing questions? We all love to be seen and heard and as a person of influence it will have a greater effect on your bottom line naturally as a result of developing this skill.
• Realize that no matter what industry you are in, you are in the people business. Even if you never directly talk to a customer and everything is automated through the internet, you are still here to serve your customer and build rapport with them through your web copy, their experience with your products and customer service you provide. It’s a concept that I assist my clients with through my Rock You Purpose Coaching Program.
Think about ways that you can improve your contribution to your customers, clients and those whose lives you touch. By seeking to serve you will stand out as an influential leader and experience a natural magnetism that is unmatched by anything that you could create otherwise.
More Power To Ya!
Annette
