This will be a quick post, at least I think it will. Lately I have been bothered by the “what’s in it for me” mentality. People aren’t collaborating as much as taking what they can and not giving back, or should I say it, in some cases, stealing ideas from other people instead of working with them.

Where does all this “what’s in it for me” take you? People start to lack trust in you, and then they decide they will not want to work with you ever again.

Collaboration and partnership to me mean reciprocation.

If you keep doing the take, take, take, you will burn through relationships and burn bridges fast.

People will move away from you and not want to associate with you.

So yeah, the “what’s in it for me” will get you a little further, but then you will fall back that much harder and farther without a good reputation in tact.

My advice, take a balance look at what people have given to you, which includes your audiences, donors, volunteers and other supporters. Are you giving back?

When you switch to “what’s in it for us,” we will all build our audiences, donors, volunteers and other supporters, together!

Cheers to happy and loyal audiences,
Shoshana

Shoshana Fanizza
Chief Audience Builder, Audience Development Specialists