I’ve been in a public speaking organization called Toastmasters for years. During this time, I have been a part of many Toastmasters clubs and have seen many people come and go. With all of the great things Toastmasters offers… speaking skills, leadership training, and a great networking atmosphere, I have always wondered why some people come to a few meetings and then you never see them again.
In studying John Maxwell’s book, Becoming a Person of Influence, I have discovered that we need to dig a little under the surface to truly understand people.
One of the things John brings up in his book is that…
Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.
This is so true with almost any club or organization. If people come to a meeting and no one talks to them, they are probably not going to return. If their first experience is one that excludes them rather than including them, they probably will feel that they don’t fit in and will find it awfully hard to come back.
John brings up four questions in his book that can help us get to know new people whether they be visitors, new employees, or the new client you met at Starbucks.
When we ask them…
- Where did they come from?
- Where do they want to go?
- What is their need now?
- How can I help?
We will get a much better picture of how we can include them in our club, our workplace, or most importantly… our lives.
When we take the time to really focus on the other persons needs, their lives and ours can truly change.
