The Secret to Getting Picked

I’ve been running a company for a few years now and I’ve noticed something about what kind of people work out. And anymore, they’re the only kind of people I want to hire. In fact, this specific kind of person also works best in relationships, both romantic and friendships.

And they make the best leaders, too.

The one characteristic of somebody who gets picked is this: they’re a good investment.

Photo Credit: Christopher Michel, Creative Commons

I know it sounds simple, and I fear it sounds harsh, but it’s true.

If you want people to pick you, just be a good investment.

What do I mean by good investment?

In a company, a person who is a good investment is the person you pay $50k per year but is worth $500k to the company. If you think about it, after 50% in taxes, that means the person has returned about $250k. And then after overhead, about $200k.

This person is sure to move up, get paid more and become a leader.

As much as we all want to be treated like royalty just because we were born, this will never happen. The reality is a company has to stay sustainable and so leadership is always looking for people who are a good investment.

And it’s not only true in business, it’s true in life, too.

Even when choosing a partner, we’re wise to look for a good investment.

I know it sounds crass and reductionistic to word it that way, but in reality, it’s what we’re all doing anyway. We’re wondering if we give our heart to this person, will they abuse it or return it to us even stronger and better than it was before?

In other words, we’re looking for a good investment.

The reality is, to run a business I have to be a good investment, too.

The only reason people buy things from me is because the things we provide are worth much more than what we charge. Otherwise we’d go out of business.

It’s a natural law.

Sometimes when I talk like this I get pushback.

People don’t want to be described in financial terms. They want to be invaluable as a human, just for being human. And I get it.

But this thinking can also be used as a copout.

In my view, it’s generous and kind and altruistic for us to be a good investment. Being a good investment means out-giving the people who give to us. And in some ways, wanting to be appreciated while not being a good investment is a form of elitist entitlement.

Deciding to be a good investment means we are deciding to be a humble servant.

We are deciding to be more of a giver than a taker.

The point is this:

If we want to be picked in life, we should ask ourselves a single question: Am I a good investment?

If somebody paid me to do something, would I be returning more value to them than what they paid me? And If somebody gave me their heart, would I be trustworthy with it? Are people better because they spend time with me? Are they more encouraged, more inspired, more equipped? Am I a good investment?

I’m hoping to be a good investment to the people around me. And I’m looking to surround myself with good investment’s, too.