Live As If You Have A Responsibility For What Other People Want

Ever read a book that sort of breaks your brain because it gives you a new model/way to see things? Where you know it somehow fits/overlaps with the current way you see things, but you can’t quite fit it into place? Like it’s a single flower in a field of flowers puzzle and now you’re not sure if it’s part of the left side blue ones or the right side blue ones?  Luke Burgis’ book, Wanting, has been doing that to me for the past few weeks. 

Here’s an example I keep thinking about in terms of both leadership and service:

Live as if you have a responsibility for what other people want. 

Burgis explains how we can help people either, A. want more, B. want less, or C. want differently. 

When we’re wearing our leadership hats or connecting with customers, it’s not about us. It’s about if we’re helping the people want more, less, or differently. 

The “want” is different from the “why.” 

The outcomes we desire are complex. 

The team doesn’t want to hit a sales goal for sake of the goal. Every member has a deeper desire we, as leaders, need to connect with if we want to uncover why the goal matters to everyone involved. 

Likewise, a client doesn’t want us to do our work for sake of the fee they’re going to pay. They want it done for the sake of what it means, to them, to have it completed. 

Once we define/agree on the ultimate outcome, all of our value comes from how we shape the more, less, and different desires that drive it. 

Now, where in the hell do these blue flowers fit?!

If this got your attention, listen to Luke Burgis’ conversation on The Knowledge Project podcast and check out his book Wanting.