My friend and local Athens celebrity Caleb Troop facetiously told me he’d only follow me on Twitter if I’d provide value to him. He told me, “I want to learn something.”
He’s totally right, but it doesn’t stop with tweets.
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Photo provided by *clairity* http://www.flickr.com/photos/clairity/
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Shouldn't every interaction you have with someone be about learning something? When you meet someone for coffee, run into an old friend, or read a blog post, it's all about learning.
…who someone really is.
…what's new in your friend's life.
…how you can be more productive.
Too often we view interaction as a necessary evil. Doing someone a favor. The unfortunate work you have to put in to keep a relationship afloat.
What if we started viewing every interaction with another person as an opportunity to learn?
“Every man I meet is my superior in some way. In that, I learn of him.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Preach it, Ralph.
If we assume every single person has more knowledge about something than us (their own life and experiences, at the bare minimum), we have an incredible opportunity to grow.
View each interaction you have, in person or on the web, as an opportunity to teach and to learn. Provide value to those you're communicating with, and encourage them to do the same.