Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork

by Dan Sullivan

They want Freedom of Money with ease, which isn’t how freedom is created. Freedom comes through purpose, investment, and teamwork.

“Don’t twist yourself out of shape to be attractive to people you don’t want to work with.”

“Commitment is a statement of what ‘is.’ You can know what you’re committed to by your results, not by what you say your commitments are. We are all committed. We are all producing results. The result is proof of a commitment.” —Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman, and Kaley Klemp

Every time you invest in a vision, your commitment to that vision increases.

Every time you invest yourself in something, you become more committed to it.

For Nicole, it’s essential to commit to specific results and get your team on board. In order to do so, you can’t let them off the hook. You’ve got to allow them to be challenged. They’ve got to face obstacles and break through them; otherwise, they’ll never develop the confidence and commitment they need to fulfill your vision—and their own goals.

“There are two kinds of suffering: long suffering and short suffering. The choice is yours.”

The focus for entrepreneurs always has to be on results or there’s no revenue coming in. If you work for an entrepreneur, guess what! This is true for you too. Though you probably have a guaranteed income, it’s important to understand that the business you work in exists inside the Results Economy, even if you’re sheltered somewhat from seeing that.

If you want greater freedom in your life, you’ll need to focus on results.

According to Self-Determination Theory, every human being has three basic psychological needs related to their work: A sense of competence Autonomy in how they do their work Positive and meaningful relationships

However, when a team has 1) high autonomy, 2) high goal clarity, and also 3) gets regular feedback on their results, then their performance shoots through the roof.

Lack of clarity of vision and inability to articulate that vision leaves Whos with no identity and no clear purpose. They become frustrated and lose their confidence. It’s not because they lack the resources or capability, but because they have bad leadership.

It is not the role of the leader to explain how the job is done. The Who determines how they will best go about getting the job done. All they need is clarity about what specifically “done” looks like.

By having clear Success Criteria, meaning what has to be true when this project is finished, you can ensure your Who doesn’t get lost. At the same time, you give them full autonomy in how they make that Success Criteria real.

“Always reward creators. Never reward complainers.”

“Lessons are repeated until learned.” —Dr. Chérie Carter-Scott

“If you have enough money to solve a problem, then you don’t have a problem.”

Although having a great work ethic is something to strive for, you’ve got to be careful. You’re either in the “Time and Effort Economy” or the “Results Economy.” Far too often, people wear their hard work as a badge of honor. But in reality, they are engaging in Hows that could easily be handled by a Who to more effectively produce the desired result.

“No one ever lost any advantage by being humble, interested, and useful.”

“Only once you give yourself permission to stop trying to do it all, to stop saying yes to everyone, can you make your highest contribution toward the things that really matter.” —Greg McKeown

This is the power of thinking in terms of investment. It wasn’t a cost to add that sales manager. It was actually costing Carl and the company to not have him.

If you’re cost-minded, then by nature, you’re transactional and short-term focused. You’ll see Whos as a cost, which means you’ll never be able to create the brilliant collaborations that are possible. Whos, when selected properly to fit within your vision, are never a cost. Whos are an investment. If you’re investment-minded, then you will be transformational in your relationships, including the relationship you have with yourself. You’ll be long-term focused, having an increasingly growing vision of your future. You’ll see that by investing in Whos, your future can dramatically grow.

By shifting your focus from cost to investment, you stop worrying about what you’re giving up and instead, realize that by making powerful decisions you can make enormous gains.

“You can survive without a community, but you can’t thrive without one.”

Your ability to succeed is based on the quality of the people in your life.

“Treat your employees as an investment, not a cost.”

First and foremost, when it comes to connecting with someone, you should want to be connected with them. It shouldn’t be a chore. There shouldn’t be any desire to avoid contact or escape from them. There should be no need for posturing or posing. But rather, you should feel completely free to be yourself, and ultimately, who you aspire to be.

“I don’t want to work on a relationship. I just want a relationship that works,”

When finding Whos, don’t settle. Create transformational relationships with people you’re drawn to and excited to be around. Find Whos that fit.

“Try not to become a man of success, but a man of value. Look around at how people want to get more out of life than they put in. A man of value will give more than he receives.” —Albert Einstein

Don’t reach out to someone unless you have something meaningful to offer them. That “something” needs to be real and relevant, not just a compliment or flattery. True and real value. And if you want the relationship to continue, you must continue creating value.

“You have to work less to make more money.”

“Successful givers are every bit as ambitious as takers and matchers. They simply have a different way of pursuing their goals. . . . If you insist on a quid pro quo every time you help others, you will have a much narrower network. . . . Givers succeed in a way that creates a ripple effect, enhancing the success of people around them.” —Adam Grant

“Be nice to the people on your way up, because you’ll meet them on the way down.”

In the beginning of your career, you get paid for what you do. But if you become highly successful and influential, then over time, you’ll get paid for who you are.

Learn to serve other people without any expectation for reward.

If you’re useful, and continue being generous, the world will be very good to you. You’ll have all the opportunity in the world you need because you’ll have Freedom of Relationship. Never stop providing value to your Whos, especially the Whos that have been in your life for a long time.

“Surround yourself with people who remind you more of the future than the past.”

“Self-made is an illusion. There are many people who played divine roles in you having the life that you have today. Be sure to let them know how grateful you are. Example: the person who introduced you to the person who introduced you to your spouse or business partner or client. Go back that far.” —Michael Fishman

“The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated.” —William James

Bring a result to the table. Make the pie bigger for everyone involved. Don’t come with big promises of future results. Bring immediate results. Don’t promise what you can’t deliver.

“Intelligence is the ability to make finer distinctions.” —Robert Kiyosaki

“If you work on something important for twenty years, it will transform everything around you.”

“When deciding whether to do something, if you feel anything less than ‘Wow! That would be amazing! Absolutely! Hell yeah!’—then say ‘no.’” —Derek Sivers

“Look, there’s absolutely no pressure for you to work with us. This is a two-way interview, and we are both evaluating if it’s a great fit. If you choose a different advisory firm, we will be absolutely fine. We only want to work together if we are excited and 100 percent on the same page for goals and expectations. Being aligned and upfront with each other from day one is crucial to a successful long-term relationship. And in the end, that’s what it’s all about.”

“We remain young to the degree that our ambitions are greater than our memories.”

“Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option.” —attributed to Mark Twain

Because Chad was clear on his future, he could reject seemingly incredible opportunities in the present.

Now it’s your turn. Take some time to reflect on the following questions: How have you changed over the past five years, when it comes to the types of people you surround yourself with? What things do you no longer tolerate? How have you become a better Who for the people in your life? Dan has a saying for this: “Always be the buyer.” What he means is that, in every situation you’re in, you should be the one who is buying, not selling. The buyer can reject the seller, not the other way around.

You can become the buyer in all aspects of your life. You do this by rejecting anything that isn’t in line with your vision. Being the buyer takes courage, but over time, it will become the only way you engage in relationships. You will become incredibly picky about your relationships because you’re incredibly clear about who your future self is, your vision, and your priorities.