If you want to build a great organization you must build great people. If you want to add value to your organization you must add value to that which makes your organization most valuable, people. Adding value is the essence of equipping others. Good leaders understand the necessity of adding value to their people. Good leaders intentionally add value to people around them every day.
Today you are either adding value or taking value from people. Ask yourself this question, “Do I add value or do I subtract from the people around me?” The greatest sin of a leader is to put himself/herself first.
Think about the people in your life that you look up to or always want to be around. I’ll bet that they contribute to your life. When we enrich others, we become someone of value to them. In his book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell lists four ways to add value to others.
1. To add value to people, you have to value people. The only reason to lead people is to add value to them. If you don’t value people, you will devalue people.
2. To add value to people you must make yourself more valuable. Get better, keep growing and learning so you can add value to others and teach them.
3. To add value to people you must know and relate to what other people value. How do we know and relate to what our people value? We listen. Listen to your people’s stories. Find out their hopes and dreams.
4. To add value to people you have to do the things that God values. They are the things that have eternal value. We need to touch people the way Jesus touched them and teach people the way Jesus taught them. We have to be there for them when they need us.
Do you desire to become a better leader? Start by adding value to your people by serving them.
