If you had the choice, would you choose high or low status?
Status elevates your opportunity to make a difference.
3 ways to elevate your status:
#1. Don’t obsess about gaining status.
The belief that you matter elevates your status. But if you’re needy, everyone smells it.
Needy ladder-climbers gain status by groveling to power-people.
People with status manipulate ladder climbers. They dangle status like a carrot. They might elevate your status if you’re a good girl or boy.
- Status is given by others.
- Status-stress is the uncertainty that attempts to gain status will work.
#2. Earn status by serving the interests of others.
Status provides an opportunity to serve and serving is an opportunity to earn status.
A grandmother gains status by serving her grandchildren. A teacher gains status when his students experience success. A coach gains status when he helps his players win.
Leaders gain status when they help others become successful leaders.
Status is never demanded. It’s given by the community.
I get the opportunity to interview high-status leaders and authors because it serves their interests. The Leadership Freak tribe represents value to others.
You don’t have to serve high-status people to gain status. Mother Teresa was a high-status person even though she served low-status people.
#3. Status is social confirmation.
The shallow view of status is you enjoy it by associating with high-status people. There’s some truth to status-by-association. Did you go to an Ivy League school? Do you work for a high-status organization?
I realized the power of status-by-association when I started interviewing high-status leaders, authors, and experts.
I began to notice that some people gave me status because I was talking with people who had status. It wasn’t the plan. It was a surprising consequence.
How might leaders earn status?
How might leaders help others gain status?