One Simple Technique That Will Improve Your Effectiveness

In my job and life in general, I think a lot about how to influence people and how to communicate with them so they not only hear what I communicate, but actually do something about it. Recently I
read about a conversation between two of the early leaders of the Navigators Ministry that speaks to this topic and really fascinated me.

In one of our afternoon appointments, Lorne asked, "What motivates you most?" After discussing the subject, he pulled a 5x8 card out of his desk and made a mark on it. He then showed me the card.
For several months, he had been asking people with whom he met this same question about motivation. He had six or seven answers. Each had a slash mark for the number of times he had been given that answer. The answer with by far the most marks was: "Being given something that will help me in my personal life."
A close second was: "Being given something that will help me in my ministry."
Near the bottom of the list was "Challenge."
The lasting lesson to me was a diminished view of the effectiveness of throwing out a challenge to motivate someone. Living Legacy, By Jim Downing

After reading that passage, I began to realize that his observation is true in my own live. One example is a blog from a friend of mine: his posts are thought provoking, interesting, and challenging, but the only one that I can remember directly taking action on is a post where he recommends several books to "Make You Smarter (And More Interesting)." I actually read one of the books and am in the middle of a second one.

If you want to more effectively influence the people around you at work, home, or anywhere else for that matter, it will be very helpful to reflect on how you can present your idea or message so that people can see how doing what you are telling them to do will help them in their personal life. Chances are, it is already clear to you how it will help, but if you don't communicate it that way, they will likely not see it that way.

Imagine how being a more effective communicator would help you in your marriage, your relationship with your boss and co-workers, or in your ministry. Be whatever you need to be in order to help people have better lives and grow in their relationship with Christ and with each other.

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. I Corinthians 9:19-23

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