Give First

I am reading Lance Armstrong's book, "Every Second Counts." This is his account of his life after cancer, particularly as he participates in the Tour de France races. He shares how he is able to win only because of the combined efforts of his teammates. They work together to help him win.

One comment stood out for me. Lance said that he cannot expect the team members to give before he gives first. In other races, he helps his team mates to win so that they can gain more credibility in the racing world. And he makes it plenty clear that they are very talented riders, as talented at he is, but at the Tour de France they work for his win. He cannot achieve without them.

What would happen in the business world, if everyone helped the other person's success. It would be one big circle spanning the globe.

And perhaps greed would be a thing of the past.

So today I help you. Tomorrow you help someone else and fourteen helps down the line it comes back to you and then me. And in the meantime, you or I have started the cycle another ten or twenty times. Helping first is the butterfly affect. It makes a difference.

It is networking at its best.