“People” People

Posted by Ryan Geiger on August 24, 2010 · 1 Comment

Teddy Roosevelt said, “The most important single ingredient in the formula of success in leadership is knowing how to get along with people.” Were told in Proverbs 27 to be diligent to know those around us. I learned in college the 10 ideas to becoming a “people” person and since it was a Baptist school at the time, all of the ideas start with the letter “R”.

REACH out to people.
REMEMBER a person’s name.
RECOGNIZE a person’s potential.
REQUEST information about them.
Be RESPECTFUL.
RELATE on their level.
Be RELIABLE.
Give REASSURANCE to people.
Be a RESOURCE for people.
REQUEST their help.

As I read through that list I thought there is at least one missing. RESPOND. People want to know just as much about you as you do about them. There is a certain level of transparency that is required of a leader if the people they lead are to trust them. There is a level of understanding that people need to have that lets them know you are just like them.

When you ask good questions you will see what they really care about. You’ll find out about their future dreams and goals. You’ll find out about what they cry about or what they sing and laugh about. To do this you must become a good listener and when the time is right you must become a good responder.

There are at least 10 things to discover about someone in order to have a better understanding of them and this is a two way street.

Their background
Their present situation or station in life
Their personality
Their spiritual gift (s)
Their natural abilities
Their dreams for the future
Their hurts -past and present
Their joys -past and present
Their priorities
Their key influencers as well as who their friends are

Remember as a leader “you must care more about who they are than what they do.” -Perry Noble. You can have good people skills and not be a good leader, but you cannot be a good leader without good people skills.

As a leader use your head to gain knowledge of people. As a leader use your heart to demonstrate a concern for people. As a leader use your hands to help people. As a leader use your life to connect with people.

People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Everybody wants to be someone. Everyone needs someone. Take the time to discover the potential that others do not see in themselves and point it out to them. Be real with people and let them into your life.