8 simple things you can do for others (that will benefit you too!)

Thu, 9 Sep 10

In line with today's theme - others - we're offering up a few pointers we've taken on board ourselves for you to test out. Not only do these benefit us in our day to day lives, but they also change the experiences of those who we come in contact with. Why just limit this to the workplace, these simple pieces of advice can be applied at home, with friends or anywhere where contact is made to brighten up the day of someone in your life.

• Show genuine interest. Entrepreneur Dave Chong believes this is "by far the most effective way of encouraging others." Let them know you care. Express genuine interest by asking questions. Get them talking. "I find the act of talking and thinking can fire up the engines (roar!). With some hope and luck, this can lead to positive action. But don’t be fake about it and don’t go overboard."
• Acknowledge what’s important to them. When you acknowledge what’s important to others, you provide a form of affirmation and validation about who they are and what they’re doing. "Whether they can admit it or not, each of them deep down craves this acknowledgement. The affirmation and validation is like nitro for their confidence and self-esteem."
• Say "Well done." "Nothing worth doing is ever easy. If it’s easy, then it’s not worth doing. Worthwhile things always take time and effort." One good way of providing encouragement is simply by saying “Well done” or “Congratulations". These magical Words of Encouragement at the right time can make all the difference between “keep going” and “give up”.
• Say "Thank you." Common courtesy. Good manners. That's what this tip is about. It’s only natural to expect a reward after hard work. It’s only natural to thank someone when they do something for you. You can start now. "Thank your wife after she cooks a nice meal. Thank your friend for lending you that Stargate DVD. A simple thank you lets others know what they have done is worthwhile and meaningful to you."
• Reciprocate the favour. If someone does something nice for you, a great way to show your appreciation is simply to reciprocate the favour. Think of this as a pendulum. They do something nice for you. You do something nice for them. They do something nice for you. You do something nice for them. And so on…
• Respond with something unexpected. Another effective way to encourage others is to respond with something totally unexpected. Out of the blue. That’s when the maximum impact is delivered. Such acts can reach them at an emotional level and our brains are hard wired to respond to emotional things.
• Ask for advice or confide in them. This is like flattery. "Haven’t you felt like you were on top of the world when your peers asked you for advice or confided in you about something personal or important to them? Didn’t that make you want to help and do everything you can to ensure their faith in you is well founded?"

Some of these tips may be second nature to you, but every now and then come back to this list  for different ideas on how to make someone's day. Our favourite is the unexpected response. Who doesn't love to come home to a bunch of flowers from a loved one, or get to work to find a team member has already shouted coffee, just the way you like it?

If someone you know has done this for you in the past, or if you have your own ideas on how to encourage others we'd love to hear about it so share your story here or with one of the team next time you visit!

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