27 Jan CEO Insights: Giving More: A Go-Giver’s Guide to Success in the New Year

When the calendar page changes from December to January, it’s not unusual for many of us to think about ways we would like the new year to be different from the previous one, and I’m no different. As I think about my focus for this coming year, I am determined to create impactful connections and dive deep into building relationships both in my professional and my personal life.

Not long ago, I picked up a book that has given that abstract goal of deeper, more impactful connection a more concrete form. The book, The Go-Giver: A Little Story about a Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg and John David Mann is not a long book, but it has definitely made me think about the importance of focusing on connection instead of growth.

In the book, a young man named Joe is seeking success, but despite working harder and faster, success seems to be just out of his grasp. At the end of a bad quarter, Joe seeks advice from Pindar, a legendary consultant, who introduces Joe to several “go-givers” who teach him about the power of giving.

The take-aways from this book have changed the way I think about my interactions with others. The book focuses on five “laws” that Joe should follow to be successful. I’d like to walk through those “laws” with you and talk about how they can change the way we do business.

The Law of Value

This first law states, “Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.”

As we seek success, focusing on the value we bring to others will help us climb higher than simply keeping our eyes on the bottom line. If we and our services bring value to others, the bottom line will take care of itself.

Imagine if every sales manager gave the direction, “If you want more success, find a way to serve more people.”

When I think about my role here at BEMA, I can see multiple ways that applies. We can continue to grow as an organization if we are focused on finding more people and more ways to serve.

As you head into the new year, consider how you and your company can put the focus on giving value rather than on what you take in payment.

The Law of Compensation

The second law of success is the law of compensation, which states, “Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.”

If we focus on service, our pool of potential customers is endless because while products come and go, service is remembered. Service attracts people to both our organizations and ourselves, and when we nurture relationships based on service, people will continue to come back, regardless of how our products change.

In my role at BEMA, I plan to intentionally focus on the ways we can serve people and put less emphasis on reaching a certain number of people. Because service will speak for itself and attract new members.

The Law of Influence

I like to think about the third law this way: Look out for the other guy. The authors of The Go-Giver put it like this: “Your influ­ence is deter­mined by how abun­dant­ly you place oth­er people’s inter­ests first.”

This one makes sense. If you’re always out for yourself, trying to get the most you can get, then you never really understand and build relationships with others.

When you consider how your company treats its customers, think about whether you are truly placing the needs of the customers first. If you oversee employees, think about what would happen if you placed employee needs first.

In both instances, placing others’ needs before your own is a quick way to build loyalty.

The Law of Authenticity

The Go-Giver’s fourth law is “the most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself.”

This might seem like it contradicts the third law of putting others first, but think of this one as a commentary on authenticity. In our world today, it’s easy to create an image or persona, but authenticity is becoming increasingly rare.

People want to know who you are and why they should trust you. Authentic communication and relationships draw people in. Your story is as important as your product, and in this age of instant communication, the world will quickly know if you don’t live up to the things you promise.

Be authentic. Say what you mean and do what you say.

The Law of Receptivity

The last law is about the giver themselves. It states, “The key to effec­tive giv­ing is to stay open to receiving.”

Becoming a go-giver can change both the way you view the world and the way it views you, but you can only give what you have and what you know. To continue to be effective givers, we have to also be open to receiving. We have to continue to learn and grow with a posture of humility.

I’ve discovered that I’m never too old to learn something new or to think about something in a different way. When we keep ourselves open to new possibilities, new wisdom, and new ways of thinking, we also open ourselves up to opportunities for endless giving.

Putting It into Practice

So, what does all this mean for us? Why did I spend my time telling you about this book?

I think there are take-aways for all of us in the baking industry – in both our professional and personal lives. I want to encourage you to choose one of the laws and put it into practice this week.

Start small. You don’t have to overhaul your entire way of doing things at once. But you can choose to focus on relationships or do one thing that puts another person first.

I encourage you to try one or more of these:

• Help a customer with a solution that you don’t provide.
• Work to give, give, give – to a stranger, co-worker, customer, or friend.
• Enlarge the number of people you serve by at least one.
• Forget win-win; today, focus on the other person’s win.

As we walk into this new year focused on what we can give to others, we can climb the ladder of success in a new way.

Cheers,
Kerwin