What's Your Greatest Need

To me, the Greatest and most valuable thing on this earth are people! A companies greatest assets are not the computers, buildings, and tools... rather the people that work at that company. Computers, buildings, and tools would not exist if people did not create them. Managers, Human Resource Directors, CEO's, Pastors, and all people forget that very fact... That this world, all businesses, all organizations and all things are centered on one thing, and that is PEOPLE.

With that said, our leaders and influencers need to begin to focus more on people. Not only focus on just the individual, but the true needs of that individual and the group of people.

One of the few things that ALL people have in common is that we have needs. If you can learn how to understand people and their greatest need, you will learn how to most effectively connect, reach and impact that person. If you are a Manager or a Director over people at work, this is a critical thing for you. If an employee forgot to eat breakfast that morning, there is a likely chance that he or she will be starving by mid-afternoon. There will come a point that the employees greatest need will not be the need to make money "Security" (working their job), rather the need to eat food. When this becomes their greatest need, it will then hinder the employees ability to function and work at a high level. As a good director or manager, you should recognize this and understand that you could possibly offer an early lunch for that person.

Below, you will find a visual that shows the Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. This shows the needs of people from bottom to top. People typically have to take care of the first needs to then move up to the top. These needs can be on a moment to moment basis or could be a long term basis.

Maslows Hierarchy of Needs:

Catching by using the right bait

Over the past month, I have had the opportunity of going fishing with one of my friends, Coach Marcus Eckert. We have gone to a few local spots in Mckinney/Frisco area in search of that big fish.

Each and everytime I go fishing, it blows my mind how many different types of lures and/or bait there are to catch bass. Not only that, just like humans, the bass have behaviors that cause them to like certain things in the water. Some bass might like to hang out near trees or near man made structures. Others might like deep water and others might like the shallow water. Either way, you have to truly understand the water and the fish to get the good catch a person might be looking for.

This is very similar to Marketers, Managers, or even Pastors. Not every person likes the same thing. If you really want to "Catch or Fish" for people, then you MUST understand who they are, what they like, and how to get their attention. To be a successful Marketer, Manager or Pastor, you must take the time to mingle among the people that you are trying to reach. You need to listen and observe the traits and characteristics the people in that area and culture might have so that you can better understand how to connect with them at their level.

Once you understand how to connect with them at their level, then you will be on your way to success!