subject: Internet Marketers: Reciprocity: It's Not All Business In This Business [print this page] Internet Marketers: Reciprocity: It's Not All Business In This Business
Hi guys! Hope life's doing you good- health-wise, family-wise and business-wise.
Reciprocity. It's defined as either "a relation of mutual dependence or action or influence" or "a mutual exchange of commercial or other privileges." Seems like a heavy word. But it's something that businessmen and everyone else, for that matter, need to learn if they want grow their business and generally make their lives easier.
How do you practice reciprocity? For starters, reciprocity is simply the art of helping others. By doing so, you create an emotional deposit for them to help you out sometime in the future. Colleagues, friends, family, acquaintances- they may not be able to give much at the time they're asking your favor, but life has a way of turning around. When it is your turn to ask for concessions, they're already socially-obligated to return it.
Helping others is a natural human emotion. It need not even be made into some kind of business management strategy because most of the time, helping out others starts long before. If you don't think of it as some form of investment, but as part of your natural human obligation to your fellowmen, the act of aiding becomes even more genuine. When someone asks for a particularly large favor that has nothing in it for you, moral principles dictate that you still extend a helping hand. You do it not out of any desire for gain, but from an authentic desire to help.
Problem is, when you're engaged in business, you operate on the mindset of profit-generation. When not coupled with the proper values and ethical norms, thinking of profit alone can harm than help your biz. As those who have gone before us say, it's not all about money.
Of course, you ought to know what types of favors to dispense and what to turn down. Obviously, being asked to engage in shady deals and illegal activity is a total no-no. You wouldn't want to get your name involved in some f****ed up mess. Let better judgment be your guide in these matters.
On a more universal level, helping others out in a bind does not only work in your favor. You're doing your two cents worth in making the world a far better, more positive place for everyone in it. Helping is infectious and you've started that first infection. It's the only disease that humanity ought to get.
Remember, it's not all business in this business. Help out and others will reciprocate the favor a thousandfold when it's your turn to need it.
