Determining How You Add Value

“We exist to grow revenue by ‘x’ this next year.”

I’ve heard this in multiple companies in the past. The problem is that companies don’t exist to grow revenue, revenue is a bi-product of something else. Here are some other examples:

1. Do you go on a road trip to be happy? No. You go on a road trip to go somewhere and do something. Happiness is a bi-product of the trip.
2. Do parents have children to find fulfillment? No. But fulfillment becomes a bi-product of parenting.
3. Churches could take a lesson from this too. Do churches exist to get more people into their building? No. Churches exist to send people out into the world to be a blessing. Getting people in the room might be a bi-product of that.

I just returned from a two week trip across the country with my family and I had some time to think on this subject. I’ve been reassessing what my place is in companies and coaching executives. Then it came to me – I work as a coach to help people and companies see where they add value to the world and them move them toward belief in the value they add. Doing this will produce the bi-products of better leadership, happiness, humility, contentment, satisfaction, more money etc…

So how do you (or your company) determine how you add value to the world? Ask yourself this question: Why should someone invest time or money in you? That’s why you exist and where you add value. The task of the coach is to move you toward belief in what you just answered.

Knowing how to answer the above question is a game changer. Why? Now when your team gathers, you can focus on how to better add value to the world. More money will be the bi-product of that.

In a short time, I’m going to begin communicating on this more. But for now – ask yourself the above question. How you answer is will determine where you need to be putting your energy.

TOOL: To learn more on this subject, click here for a tool by Gina Hinrichs called The Thin Book of SOAR. Work through the questions in the book to discover the:

• Strengths you have
• Opportunities before you
• Aspirations you want to rise to
• Results you’d like to see