Leave it Better Than You Found It is a borrowed expression that drives and shapes a lot of my personal and business decision-making.
We are currently several months into the COVID-19 “Pandemic” and it hasn’t been easy has it? My faith declares that my struggles are for my good and His glory. While inherently I know this it does not mean I like it but I do believe it. I believe it so completely I felt compelled to write about it in a blog earlier this year. My statement then was. “We must leave this time in history “better than we found it”.
Life After the Coronavirus Pandemic & How To “Leave It Better Than You Found It”
I decided a few weeks ago that it was time for a personal momentum booster if you will. My personal history tells me that if I want to grow I must build new and vibrant networks. I genuinely love connecting relational dots and finding new opportunities for others through those connections.
Now comes one of the most attention-getting phrases one can utter.
Here’s how I am doing it…
I adopted an activity that my friend Jason Elkins, (trainer, speaker, coach, consultant and early social media trailblazer), has been teaching for years.
Jason says if you want to build or rebuild, launch or relaunch, reinvent yourself or your business commit to having 100 Cups of Coffee with 100 separate individuals in 100 days. Book these meetings with no agenda beyond building a deeper relationship with that individual. “Gamify” this exercise by tracking and numbering these meetings. Let the folks with whom you are meeting know what you are doing and, more importantly, why. Be authentic and transparent about the personal relationship-building journey you have begun. Let them know what number they are in the process. (“You are #10 of 100.”) Invite them to join you on the journey by meeting with you.
Note this next vital step…
Once the meeting is wrapping up take a photo of that individual. Later, post that photo on social media and edify that person publicly. Encourage others to get to know them. Tag them and tag others who might benefit from getting to know that individual or who might help that individual in their growth.
I can tell you it’s been one of the most fulfilling business exercises I have ever conducted in my 49 years and at this moment I am only in the beginning stages.
That was the Cliff-note over-view but there are nuances you will need to learn to do this with excellence. The great news is Jason Elkins will be conducting a workshop he calls the 30 Day Business Booster on October 27 at the Rutherford County Chamber Of Commerce in Murfreesboro. My team at 94 FM The Fish and Salem Surround Digital, our full service digital agency, is sponsoring this. Go to 100cups.coffee to sign up. Under the current restrictions we can only take 20.
I highly recommend this exercise but only for those of you who wish to help others grow in a time in history when many are struggling and only if you really want to “leave it better than you found it.” Kevin Anderson – Over the last 25 years Kevin has launched two radio stations. He is the proud leader of Salem Media Group-Nashville which includes 94FM The Fish. Salem Media is an organization that is dedicated to the growth of the businesses, non-profits and the audiences they serve. www.thefisthnashville.com
