It is tempting to be constantly on a quest for BIG opportunities - waiting to be at the right time at the right place. After all, if you want to make it BIG, you need to encounter a BIG opportunity right?

 

WRONG!

 

Most of the times, you can capitalize on everyday opportunities and evolve them into bigger opportunities as time goes by.

 

While you are waiting for that ONE big opportunity, many other opportunities may be passing by everyday. These opportunities are appear in the form of ordinary everyday interactions.

 

Every interaction with someone is an opportunity first because that someone has invested a piece of their life with you - in the form of this interaction. Your opportunity is simple - to give them the highest return for their investment of time, energy, money and mainly their mindshare.

 

Think about interactions that seem simple:

* That email you were sending to your prospect

* That phone call that you were going to make to your vendor

* That lunch meeting with your partner

* That coffee meeting with the new hire in your company.

 

However simple the above interactions seem, one thing is clear. At the end of those interactions the person who was interacting with you will make an assessment about you. What that assessment (positive, negative, lukewarm, excited, wow) depends solely on what you put into that interaction mainly (and who you are to that person and your personal brand, of course)

 

You have won in a big way if the assessment that the other person created of you is WAY bigger than what assessment he would have created in a typical interaction with someone like you. For example, if you are a financial advisor, someone who interacts with you has a general idea of what an interaction with a financial advisor will look like. You now have an opportunity to raise the bar for that interaction and create a Wow experience.

 

Imagine the number of interactions you are going to have right today after you read this newsletter. How many of them are you treating as opportunities to make a difference?

 

Here are a few questions I answered on TH!NKSULTING!.  Please take a look. 

2.1 We have a project. Can we build a company?

Boris Glants asks -

I love your idea of TH!NKSULTING! I had a question regarding personal branding that I was hoping you could help answer. I have a lot of seemingly divergent interests. I've been able to manage them by looking at them as projects that I as a person engage in. I always look for ways each project can help my other interests and it really becomes a time management issue after that. However when it comes to a personal brand, which takes some time to build - it seems strange to create a brand for each area of life I am interested in - suddenly start to feel like a I have a personality disorder. Is there a way to create one personal brand that encompasses my divergent interests? If so what steps do you suggest? Or is it a fool's errand? And if so, how do you suggest I build the unique brands so that there is at least some interconnection between them?

My answer is here.

2.2 How do I get my Manager to notice my good work?

CV asks

My manager does not notice my good work. What should I do?

My answer is here.

2.3 Should I give up my values for the sake of the team?

 A Budding Author (name withheld upon request) asks:

I am planning to write a book on (topic withheld upon request.) Can we schedule a call to discuss and brainstorm ideas?

My answer is here.

Next week's article is titled - Opportunity is a two-way street

 

Yes, you need to create opportunities for others but remember to increase your capacity along the way to make a bigger difference. Opportunity is a two-way street and not a sacrifice you are making.

Thanks to all of you for your support!!