7 Ways to Make People Feel Important

Today is my 47th birthday. Thank you for all the birthday messages!

I’m grateful and decided to give a gift to you that’s deeply personal. Two of my favorite things in the world are reading and sharing inspiring messages with others to help up-lift them.

I find reading 10 minutes a day is like a mental or spiritual vitamin. It puts me in a better state of mind. I’m a more positive person. It helps the rest of my day go much better. Below are “7 Ways to Make People Feel Important” I read this morning from Brian Tracy’s book, No Excuses!: The Power of Self-Discipline. I also added a few of my own comments and examples.

7 Ways to Make People Feel Important

1.?????Accept People the Way They Are – One of the deepest cravings of human nature is to be accepted by other people without judgement, evaluation, or criticism. I know this is true for me. One way to do this when you greet others is to smile. ?? Try it.

2.?????Show Your Appreciation for Others – An easy way to express appreciation is simply say, “Thank you.” – My friend Ryan started with a simple philosophy to respond to people within 24 hours in the manner in which they reached out to him. If they called, he’d call them back. If they text, he’d text. He resolved to always be the last one to respond to an email or text. Usually, it ends in some form or “Thank you.” Silly, you may think? Perhaps. However, I’ve seen his simple habit of appreciation enable him to build one of the top 5 real estate offices in the world with over 1,750 transactions and $650 million in sales in 2022. Silent gratitude isn’t helpful to anyone. Who can you thank?

3.?????Be Agreeable – When you are agreeable with another person, even if he says something with which you may not be in complete accord, you make that person happy to be in your presence. We live in a world where political opinions are increasingly divisive and damage relationships. While my dad and I don’t agree on all political views, focusing on our relationship and how much I deeply care about him, enables me to respectfully hear his perspective. It also builds our relationship despite not always agreeing.

4.?????Show Your Admiration – As Abraham Lincoln said, “Everybody likes a compliment.” Be genuine. It only takes a few minutes to really think about someone, their accomplishments, traits, appearance, positive qualities and tell them genuinely. In his book, “Holy Moments,” Dynamic Catholic’s Matthew Kelly explains the a Holy Moment is cooperating with God to do His will. One way I’ve done this is to send a text or an email letting someone know how grateful I am for their presence in my life or a specific thing they’ve done that I admire. Some of the people I’ve sent messages to (and you may consider) include friends from high school, college, Church or social groups; family members, siblings, parents, mentors, co-workers, and even people I’ve never met but admired such as authors and speakers. Can you imagine what it feels like to receive one of these? Then pause now. Send a text or email to the first person who comes to mind to create those feelings for someone close to you.

5.?????Pay Attention to Others – Perhaps the most powerful way to raise another person’s self-esteem is to listen to him attentively when he speaks. The key to great listening is to ask questions and then hang on every word of the answers. When I pray and ask God for what He wants me to do, what I hear most in my heart is the word, “Listen.” So often, I find myself trapped thinking about what I want. This is a wonderful reminder to put the spotlight on the other person. It costs you nothing. Yet, it can be a great gift. Listen!

6.?????Never Criticize, Condemn, or Complain – Refuse to gossip or discuss other people in a negative way. Never say anything about a person that you would not say to his face. This is easy to say, yet often hard to do. Something to aspire towards. While I can rationalize and say, “I don’t do this much,” I’m often guilty of being silent when I could be more vocal in someone’s defense. One of the best things to do behind a friend’s back is to pat it.

7.?????Be Courteous, Concerned, and Considerate of Everyone You Meet – Resolve that from now on when people leave your presence, they will feel much better than they did when they entered your presence. I want to be thought of as a nice person. Don’t you? We all have a limited number of days to be on this earth. Making this resolution is a small way to show kindness, compassion and thoughtfulness for those who are in and are placed in your life.

Thank you for reading these. Did any of these ideas touch or inspire you? Do you have any insights you’d like to share? If so, please feel free to leave a comment below so others may benefit from your perspective.

Mark Fennell?–?Mark has over 25 years of sales, speaking, and leadership experience. He is the Business Development Manager for CM3 Building Solutions, where he aids schools, municipalities, universities, and states develop and implement infrastructure improvements that lower energy and operating expenses while mitigating risk. He is also the author of Dad’s Little Book of Wisdom. Mark’s personal views are his own and do not represent the company’s views. ?