Creating Value
How do we make things better around here?
“Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value.”
Imagine you’re conducting a round of job interviews, and you have two great candidates. They both have relevant experience, they both showed up on time, you can imagine having a good rapport with either of them in the office or on the weekly Zoom. Then you ask them, “do you have any questions for us?”
One of them asks, “Is there a possibility for me to move up and get promoted here?”
The other asks “What does me doing a good job here look like?”
Which person do you want on your team?
There’s nothing massively wrong with the promotion question; the candidate has made their intentions clear, they want to work here and they’re looking at the future here. But the second question demonstrates what we call “a value creating mindset.” That is to say, their approach to the role is “How can I make things better around here?”
Being in the habit of curiosity, learning and contribution is one of the most favourable approaches to work. It makes the process of creating value possible. The more value we create, the more that everyone can benefit: the business will grow, the customer will get a better experience, your opportunities for promotion and recognition will increase...
Being in this value creating mindset can build a virtuous circle that sustains growth overtime. So how can we do this?
Beyond the interview itself, being really intentional and disciplined about finding opportunities to create value is pivotal. Yet for many people this is a new or unfamiliar practice. Starting simply by asking the question - “Hey, how can I make things better around here?” - can represent a radical shift, both for yourself and likely your employer or manager. They may not have been asked this question before!
As with any habit, repetition and discipline is key to this practice. Asking again and again, and reframing the question if needed - “How can I make things better around here” can sound like “What was missing before you hired me” “What does a good job look like in my role” or even “What do you appreciate most about the best person who works here”.
When we get into this mindset, opportunities for growth that were previously hidden can become available to us. There’s an effect in the brain that allows us to tune our attention like a radio - for example, if you are prescribed spectacles, you may suddenly notice many more bespectacled people around you. They were always there, and yet suddenly your brain is paying more attention to them than before. Similarly by instructing your brain to look out for opportunities to create value, you increase your chances of finding them.
Try this for yourself. Your next day at work, next interview, your next opportunity: ask the question “how can I make things better here?” See what gets created as a result.
