Quick, tell me an age-old technique for getting noticed, networking, and rising quickly in your workplace or community?
Be Helpful
If you’re rolling your eyes right now, take a minute and think about how we can effectively be helpful to everyone, and not just people we want to gain favor with (bosses, etc).
Normally, when people think about being helpful it normally is only being helpful to those in power; hoping you’ll be noticed by them and thus given more power.
But what if you reversed the trend?
Instead of serving the greatest, serve the least.
Instead of trying to be helpful for a select few, be helpful for the incalculable all.
At this point, you may begin to be skeptical again.
Patricia, being helpful to everyone is nice, but what does that do for me?
Now we’ve uncovered the essential issue. We’ve been trained to be helpful for a purpose, and that base purpose to get ahead. As long as there’s something in it for us, as long as we’re not taken advantage of, we can be helpful. I know this isn’t the case for everyone, and millions of genuinely helpful people serve their communities every day.
But what about if every day we all went out looking for ways to help each other, without expectation of repayment. Again, this seems counter-intuitive, but only when thinking from a me-first perspective. If you consider service from a thee-first perspective, you’ll eventually come to realize other people are going out of their way to be helpful to you! With no expectation of you doing anything in return! Wow!
To get started, I want to share five quick ways you can help someone out today, this week, whenever you need to. Enjoy 🙂
1. Do the dirty work
Maybe you’re out for a run in your neighborhood and notice someone’s trash can is tipped over. Take a second and stand it up. If you’re feeling particularly helpful, go ahead and put some trash back in!
If you’re at a house party, pick up the dishes and start placing them in the dishwasher. Soak the pots and pans, anything to help out the host family!
2. Make an introduction
Play professional matchmaker, and send an introduction email to a colleague you know could help another person. Maybe you know a web designer and can send them to a friend who needs a website, win-win! Think about the people you know whose skills could be mutually beneficial.
3. Help across and below your pay grade
This is normally where people find themselves of doing anything to gain favor with the higher-ups in the company. Instead of only going upwards in your assistance, ask people on your floor, other departments, and even those who have less experience or responsibility! This builds your own skills, experience, and knowledge of what else is going on within the company. Asking other people how you can help them is a better use of your downtime than checking through Facebook.
4. Try something new
Find creative ways to save time, improve workflow, or office organization, especially during natural downtime. Maybe you could offer to drive the carpool an extra day, mow someone else’s lawn, or stack supplies differently. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself!
5. Offer your skills
Believe it or not, there are skills you have that not many other people do. Think about your department, your family, or your neighborhood. Odds are there are a few things you’re the best at, and can help other with. Maybe it’s technology, home and car repair, entertaining groups of kids, cooking for large groups, or any other number of skills! Offering yourself up to others with no expectation of payback is one of the most honorable things we can do for each other.
And I believe eventually the gifts you’ve given will find their way back to you.
Have a blessed day.
Can you help us out? What are some other ways you can be helpful in every day situations? We’d love to read your suggestions in the comments!
