Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, gave this advice: “Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says ‘Make Me Feel Important.’ Not only will you succeed in business, you will succeed in life.”
Every person you encounter–a customer, employee, good friend, or total stranger–deserves to feel important. We all want that feeling and will gravitate toward those who make us feel that way. Feeling important is often just about being seen, valued and appreciated. And isn’t it empowering to know you can do that for others? Here are three practical and powerful ideas to help others shine:
Ask Questions
Focus your energy on being interested, not interesting. Ask open-ended questions that invite the how, why and who of the other person. Asking sincere questions shows respect for the individual.
Listen
Do you actively listen to others? Or do you just wait for your turn to talk? Genuinely listen to what the other person says. Be complimentary in a summary of what they said to show you listened. Be impressed. Celebrate their success and skills.
Be Helpful and Polite
Being helpful and polite makes everyone feel good. Hold the door, offer to help, give a compliment, or just smile and say “Good Morning.” Look for small opportunities to serve others and brighten their day.
Ask people to describe the most charming individuals they’ve met and what you’ll likely hear are stories of how they make other people feel. When you make people feel important, you increase their self-esteem and confidence, and you in return become more likeable. We hope these three simple tips empower you to make others feel good.
