Your Greatest Advantage
You work to gain financial advantage.
You might also work to earn opportunities. Maybe you want to work with a specific person. Or your goal could be learning new skills.
Sometimes your greatest advantage goes beyond making money.
Personal advantage is the spark, not the fire.
Gain to Give
Earning personal benefit is only a beginning. What comes to you should flow through you.
Personal advantage divorced from generosity shrinks your soul. Hoarders want more; givers multiply what they have. Money is useful, but it’s only one kind of advantage.
You bring advantage when you share your story, talent, time, perspective, wisdom, experience, hope, compassion, or energy.
Advantage grows when it’s given.
Two Ways to Advantage Others
#1. Respect the Value of Easy
Your greatest value is usually effortless for you. What comes easy for you may be hard for others; what’s simple for you might feel complex to others.
- Your talents feel natural.
- Your learned skills feel ordinary.
Value what comes easy to you.
Action Item:
Notice people struggling with things you find easy. Avoid being an arrogant genius. Don’t say, “It’s easy, just do….” Instead, ask questions like:
- What are you trying to accomplish?
- What makes this difficult?
- What have you been trying?
- If I could show you an easier way, would you be interested?
#2. Provide Your Perspective
People get lost in the details. Help them move forward by sharing a point of view that looks beyond current concerns.
A Final Encouragment: Share your advantage wisely. Be generous with givers. Be polite to takers.
Maximize your greatest advantage by giving it away.
What advantages do you enjoy?
How can you share your greatest advantage with others?
5 Ways to Matter More in the World
The Five Laws of Stratospheric Succuss
What a powerful story!
One of the biggest challenges to leadership is being unaware of our weaknesses and blindspots. And, unfortunately, those things can tank our success. Being humble enough to pursue self awareness in those areas is a huge step in the right direction.
The lessons on leadership in this book are awesome! The writing is absolutely incredible! The story grabbed me from page one and didn’t let me go until I finished.
Dan, this seems so obvious, and yet…. So I thought about the physical realm. The 7′ guy finds dunking a basketball easy. I do not. And we all would find it silly if the tall guy belittled the shorter guy for not being able to do what he does. Just so in the area of intellectual, spiritual, creative talents. So we’re back to humility. Many skills can be learned, but other things come as a gift from our Creator. Thanks for reminding me of that.
“So we’re back to humility.” Not a bad place to be.