Ray’s Daily
October 31, 2018
“See the light in each other. Be the light for each other.”
I don’t think there is anything more important to achieving a happy and productive life than forming positive relationships with others. It is the support that we receive from a caring family and helpful friends and colleagues that enriches our lives.
These bonds do not come automatically, they are earned. Folks care for people who care for them. I don’t mean phony platitudes but rather sincere interest in and empathy for others. I always expect to like the people I meet and take a sincere interest in learning more about them and almost always I find that they are worth knowing.
Here is a piece that offers insight into the value of taking interest in those we meet.
What I Know About People – 5 Key Principles
by Dr. John C. Maxwell
One of the things that characterized the leadership of Mary Kay Ash-and contributed greatly to her success-was the fact that she valued the individual worth of people. This concept wasn’t just a corporate slogan for the cosmetics company that bears her name; it was the way she lived her life.
This remarkable lady started her company as a way to provide women with an unlimited opportunity for personal and financial success. Why did she have that goal? Because she valued people. To her, everybody was somebody. And in the end, that’s what made her a success. Thinking about this philosophy that was so much a part of Mary Kay’s life brought to mind a few truths that I have discovered about people over the years. Here are five key principles that will help you understand the people you lead and help you lead them more effectively.
- Everybody wants to be somebody. – Isn’t that true? Everybody wants to accomplish something. They want to have some worth. They want a little recognition. And they certainly want some affirmation.
- Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care. – If you want to touch people and change lives, you have to touch them relationally first. Don’t tell them what you know. You don’t impress them with your knowledge; you impress them with your compassion.
- Everybody needs somebody. – Every so often, I come across someone who says, “I don’t need anybody. I’m independent; I’m a self-made man (or woman).” When people tell me this, they think I’m going to congratulate them. But I don’t. In fact, my reaction is just the opposite. You can’t achieve greatness by yourself. So if you’ve done something all by yourself, you haven’t done much at all.
- Anybody who helps somebody influences a lot of somebodies. – When you help someone, you’re not only helping that person. Either directly or indirectly, you’re also helping everyone within that person’s sphere of influence. The power of influence always adds and multiplies.
- Today, somebody will rise up and become somebody. – This was one of Mary Kay’s foundational understandings. Because she believed so strongly in the individual worth of every person, she could see your value before you saw it yourself.
You may not achieve the kind of name recognition that Mary Kay realized in her lifetime, but if you take these five ideas to heart and act accordingly, you will greatly increase your chances of succeeding–as a leader and in all your other roles.
~~~
“Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another.”
Anonymous
~~~
Before performing a baptism, the priest approached the young father and said solemnly, “Baptism is a serious step. Are you prepared for it?”
“I think so,” the man replied. “My wife has made appetizers and we have a caterer coming to provide plenty of cookies and cakes for all of our guests.”
“I don’t mean that,” the priest responded. “I mean, are you prepared spiritually?”
“Oh, sure,” came the reply. “I’ve got a keg of beer and a case of whiskey.”
~~~
Boring husband: “Honey, why are you wearing your wedding ring on the wrong finger?” Bored wife: “Because I married the wrong man!”
~~~
The US has succeeded in building a computer able to solve any strategic or tactical problem. Military leaders are assembled in front of the new machine and instructed to feed a difficult tactical problem into it. They describe a hypothetical situation to the computer and then ask the pivotal question: ATTACK OR RETREAT?
The computer hums away for an hour and then comes up with the answer: YES.
The generals look at each other, somewhat stupefied. Finally one of them submits a second request to the computer: YES WHAT?
Instantly the computer responded: YES SIR.
~~~
Nine-tenths of wisdom is appreciation. Go find somebody’s hand and squeeze it, while there’s time.
Dale Dauten
~~~
A man was walking in the mountains just enjoying the scenery when he stepped too close to the edge of the mountain and started to fall. In desperation he reached out and grabbed a limb of a gnarly old tree hanging onto the side of the cliff. Full of fear he assessed his situation. He was about 100 feet down a shear cliff and about 900 feet from the floor of the canyon below. If he should slip again he’d plummet to his death. Full of fear, he cries out, “Help me!” But there was no answer. Again and again he cried out but to no avail.
Finally he yelled, “Is anybody up there?”
A deep voice replied, “Yes, I’m up here.”
“Who is it?”
“It’s the Lord”
“Can you help me?”
“Yes, I can help.”
“Help me!”
“Let go.”
Looking around the man became full of panic.
“What?!?!”
“Let go. I will catch you.”
“Uh… Is there anybody else up there?”
~~~
“Empathy is a skill like any other human skill. If you get a chance to practice, you can get better at it.”
Simon Baron Cohen
~~~
Ray Mitchell
Indianapolis, Indiana
Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.
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