Here are some examples of situations I have been in.
There have been countless times people have called upon me for help because they think I know the answer to their question. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t.
When I do know the answer, I don’t just give it to them and then they walk away. I make sure they really understand what I’m telling them. I take the time to educate them so they can become independent thinkers and hopefully learn how to solve similar problems in the future.
I take a personal interest in them. I demonstrate to them that I care about them and their problem. I don’t take ownership of their problem. Instead, I give them confidence, encouragement, enlightenment and knowledge to solve the issue on their own. I develop and create a bond with them as a fellow human being because someday the roles may be reversed and I may have to seek their help. I know I can count on them for help because they know they can count on me.
When I don’t know the answer, I provide contacts I think they can go to for help. I then ask the questioner to tell my contact that I sent them. That way the person seeking answers will hopefully feel more comfortable asking the other person for help. Knowing that they come with “credentials” also makes the other person more willing to help. They know I sent them and in the contact’s eyes that adds to the questioner’s credibility.
This sharing of one’s time and knowledge is a long-term investment. It grows and multiplies and it pays back over and over exponentially.
When we all go through the annual ritual of performance reviews, I feel very comfortable asking people for their feedback. I know they will take the time to provide honest feedback. They know me because of how I made them feel about me.
How many times have you been in meetings and it becomes evident that the group is struggling to reach an objective. It’s not your meeting. The person facilitating is having a difficult time maintaining control of the meeting or someone in the meeting is being put on the spot and is clearly in distress. Both are in need of help.
In these situations it’s easy to let the person swing in the wind =and not get involved. But when this happens I remember the times someone came to my defense and stood with me to help me overcome my adversity.
You may have nothing to gain by sticking your head out in a situation like that, and might have something to lose. However, you don’t need to be a lifeguard to save someone from drowning. Someday you may need saving from drowning and that person you helped will remember how you made them feel and will be more inclined to extend you a helping hand when you need it most.
Sometimes it’s not what you know or what you do for someone that makes a lasting effect in terms of how they feel about you. Sometimes it’s just showing the other person you care by listening and being empathetic. Those chance and brief encounters tend to multiply over time and people’s feelings toward you grow deeper because there is a bond and kinship.
Making a small investment of your time by getting to know others and enabling them to know you better will pay handsome dividends in the long run. Mutually, you become can count on one another to be trustworthy and reliable.
So for all you BAs and project managers out there, please keep the quote at the beginning of the article in mind as you go about your daily tasks. Every interaction you have with others, especially your stakeholders, business owners, project managers, teammates and peers, is an opportunity to build a wonderfully lasting positive impression of you. That should give you a great deal of personal satisfaction knowing how much you’re thought of by others and the positive difference you made in someone else’s life.
After all, isn’t that what life is all about?
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