I have been thinking about the term VIP and did a small research (what I mean is that I googled it). It is common knowledge that VIP stands for Very Important Person/People and it started being used somewhere in the middle of 1900’s. At first, you would call someone a VIP to refer to military personnel, celebrities and wealthy customers, but now you can see it spread out in so many places and situations. As I reflect on it, it is a way to make you feel special, you would stop being average and separate yourself from the masses. I even came across an article on 10 tips to achieve VIP status.
So, I had an idea. What if, VIP would stand for Very Impactful Person. I know impact is a big word that can be applied in so many instances, but I was thinking about impact as in a positive behaviour that would touch other people’s lives. I would like to believe (quick disclosure here, I am an optimist by nature), just like an Important Person, an Impactful one would be something most people would strive to become. The more I reflect, I might conclude that by being this new type of VIP, we would not segregate, but include. Impact generates ripples, there is effect and influence in the environment where you are. So, I decided to jot down what I would consider my tips on becoming a VIP, the Very Impactful one. Ten seemed to be the right number and they come in no particular order, so here they are:
– Be authentic – nothing beats you being you. As Oscar Wilde said, choose yourself, everyone else is taken
– Focus on your strengths – resist the urge to spend most of your time filling the gap on what you think you are lacking
– Surround yourself with people with complementary skills – we are always smarter as a group
– Teach what you learned – you would be surprised how much you know
– Be assertive and kind – your opinion matters and how you say matters even more
– Listen more than speak – that’s why we have 2 ears and one mouth
– Do your homework – when engaging with others, come prepared
– Bring your whole self, including your emotions – understanding our emotions is what makes us humans
– Do the right thing – this is a way of life (and a great movie from the late 80’s)
– Pause before responding – choice resides between stimulus and response (some Victor Frankl reference here)
Impact is not only about growing a business or being a fearless leader. It is also about nurturing talent, discerning about what to do and not to do. The world needs more of this kind of VIP, someone that would consciously seek for meaningful outcomes.
I know there are probably so many other tips and I would love to hear what yours are.
Becoming VIP
