What’s In It For Them?

“What’s in it for me?” This is the response that we sometimes get when we ask for other people’s help. Of course, those who are close to us may do things for us for nothing, but in today’s reward-driven environment, people almost always ask if the potential benefit is worth the effort that they are about to put in. In business and at work, asking the WIIFM question has become acceptable. Asking this question has become the mark of the savvy professional. I agree. In running an enterprise or in performing our jobs, it is always important to find out what we stand to gain before we commit our resources to any task.

Even well known authors of business and motivational books, advocate some form of selfishness. They maintain that to be able to help others, we must help ourselves first. Aboard planes, one of the things the attendant tells you (or gestures to you) during the flight safety reminders is that you should secure your own oxygen supply first before attempting to help others.

Let’s reframe this popular thought. How about thinking “What’s in it for them?” How will people benefit from interacting with you? Are things easier for people now that they’ve received your output? Will they be grateful for having met you, or will they regret the day they met you (or hired you, or dealt with your company)? Did you create value during your interaction? Will things be clearer after they read your report, or was it only an exercise of compliance? Will they walk away from this transaction blessed or cursed?

- Carlos Castellon