Thank you for listening to The Champion Forum Podcast with Jeff Hancher! The key to growth is maximizing every interaction you have. Learning from people who have achieved greatness has impacted my life more than anything else. So how do you spend time with successful people, and what do you ask them when you have their attention? Today on the Champion Forum Podcast, we discuss how to engage and surround yourself with the right people.
"If you are going to be successful, you have to start hanging out with the successful people." - Jack Canfield
Spend Time with Successful People
Surround yourself with people who give you concrete benchmarks for success. They show you new heights, and they believe you can reach them. Be with people who raise the bar on your thinking. Building these questions requires intentionality, and many people don't make an effort because they feel like they don't have time or know the right people. They also may feel too prideful to admit that they don't know what they're doing or too intimidated to reach out to someone more successful.
"You're the average of the five people you spend the most time with." - Jim Rohn
How to Find Successful People
Begin your search in your existing networks and the people closest to you: your family, friends, church, and community. Look at the people you work with, your team members, co-managers, other leaders, and even your customers. Then look for experts and successful people, those who've achieved the goals you want to accomplish.
Q: Who do you have in your current circle that you could spend time with? What could you learn from them? What has held you back if you have yet to reach out to anyone recently?
How to Spend Time With Successful People
Many successful people are in the fight for time. So, you may have to get creative. Join in something they are doing, find a way to serve them, or buy them a meal or coffee. You will have to be willing to be bold and assertive. I promise you that it will be worth pushing through any hesitation.
Never ask someone to be your mentor; ask them for a meeting. The best mentoring relationships I have had as both the mentee and the mentor have grown organically. Instead, try saying something like this:
"I really admire your work (or whatever it is that you admire) and was wondering if I could ask your advice on my own career / journey?"
Q: Have you ever reached out to someone for a meeting? What did you discuss? How did that conversation impact your life/career?
Preparing For The Meeting Whenever I am preparing for a meeting with someone, I spend time determining what questions I want to ask. I do this because I want to make the most of my time. I also do it to engage with the other person. I want people to know that I value them and want to add value to them. To do that, I must get to know them. That requires asking questions, listening with intention, and taking notes. Make sure you go into the meeting with a mental agenda and a clear understanding of why you want to meet with them.
Great Questions to Ask Your Mentors and New Connections
What is the greatest lesson you have learned?
What are you learning now?
How has failure shaped your life?
Who do you know whom I should know?
What have you read that I should read?
What have you done that I should do?
How can I add value to you?
What to Avoid When Talking to a Mentor or New Connection
Talking more than you listen.
Being critical
Complaining
Not being prepared
Talking about your personal problems
Not following through on advice they give
Giving them homework
Don't Forget To:
Follow their advice.
Follow up.
Thank them.
Reciprocate Q: What else would you consider good etiquette when reaching out for a meeting? Have you ever had someone reach out to you for a meeting? What was that experience like? What do you wish you could have done differently? What do you wish they would have done differently?
Application Activities:
Consider who you would like to meet. Think of people in your current circle and people you don't know but would love to meet if you had the chance. Then think about why you want to meet them. Get specific! What is it about their life that attracts you to them? What could you learn from them?
What questions do you want to ask in addition to the ones presented in this podcast? Add these questions next to the list of people you want to meet or talk with. Consider their unique skills or the things you admire most about their lives. As you craft questions, ensure they are open-ended, allowing for a dialog rather than a simple yes/no answer.
Who has made an impact on your life? What did you start doing because of their influence? It's never too late to follow up and show gratitude! A simple note sharing the impact they made will go a long way and help you establish a practice of gratitude in your life.