Add Value At Every Turn

In The Beginning of My Employment Industry Career…

(1)People who have worked hard to get where they are and intend to continue to do so because that is how they are as people.

(2) People who believe that, because of what they have achieved they are owed success.

I worked primarily with attorneys at top American law firms who were seeking the highest-paying jobs at the best firms. When you work with

people from prestigious law schools with top credentials, you very quickly identify two types of people:

Over The Years…

I became very proficient at identifying these types of people.

Generally, people of the latter persuasion, who may feel they do not need to impress their superiors

or work as hard, end up getting cast out of organizations and

having very marginal careers.

Before I go any further, I want to let you in on a secret. I do not care

who you are or what work you have done in the past. This secret is as old as the hills but very few

people understand it.

The Secret Is This…

You will never arrive and be treated with massive deference

because of your past achievements. You never, ever

arrive. At each stage of the game you will be called upon to

prove yourself even more.

Watch How the Media Treats Presidential Candidates, Movie Stars…

And other celebrities. At each stage of the game, the scrutiny they undergo gets tougher and tougher. The price for past success is great, and expectations for further achievement become increasingly higher.

People’s generosity tends to diminish in relation to other’s success. You will get less of a “break.”

Every subsequent endeavor is expected to surpass the last achievement. Therefore, you never really arrive. The journey

simply continues.

The Primary Purpose of Any Business, Job, Industry, or Service…

Is to add value in greater proportion than the cost of what you are hired for. This is what the entire business world is about. In your job, you are

selling your skills and your employer is trying to make money from your skills. Just like a product

that is sold for a profit, your services are “goods” that your

employer needs to see a high profit margin on.

Several Years Ago…

As I was thinking about buying a car, I remember being confronted with two choices: one was an American car, the other was German-made. The one thing that convinced me to purchase the German car was its predicted resale value. Incredibly, after two years of owning the German car, I ended up selling it for only $2,000 less than it had cost me to purchase it new. If I

had purchased the American car, I would have lost $10,000 or more in value in those two years.

The German automaker-on more than one level-provided more value in its product than the American automaker. It is like this with jobs

and other products as well.

At Work…

I am sure you see people who work very, very hard and don’t

waste time on the job. I am also sure you see people who are “clock watchers” and do the

opposite. Companies want to surround themselves with people who work hard and are out to give

more than they take.

The worst thing you can do in any job is focus on performing at the minimum level for what

you are earning.

I Have Seen…

Employees on salary talk about how much they make per hour. These employees obsess over how much they are getting and only work the minimum amount

that they can get away with. When you are on salary you

should not think like this. You are a part of the team.

Your Task In Every Job Is…

To add as much value as you can to your employer. You need to

understand that if you do not add value, you may not have a job. In terms of your team and the people you work with, your task is to add value to the customers you are

serving.

If you do not add value to your customers, you may not have a job. If your team does not add

value, you may get laid off. If what you are doing does not add value, your industry could cease to exist.

No Matter What The Job, Service, Or Industry…

It is always about adding value beyond expectation.