Quought for the day #43 – Mike Wagner

As founder and president of White Rabbit Group, Mike has focused his energies on creating a model of branding every business leader can grasp and apply to their organization: Brand Ownership.

Mike’s understanding of creative and competitive business cultures was formed at Franklin Covey and Saturn where he witnessed how brand critical standards resulted in exceptionally successful marketing and sales processes.

In the early days of Internet marketing, Mike was instrumental in leading a web development company into Inc. Magazine’s 500 fastest growing companies. Helping clients make sense of e-business when others could not, his insight as a Internet business strategist won over clients that included Wells Fargo, Principal Financial Group, AOL Time Warner and more.

Mike now focuses his attention on fully developing his professional speaking and consulting skills through the White Rabbit Group. His focus is on helping clients build the successful connection between brand development and sales performance.


(click on the button to read the background for this series)

Mike’s Quought for the Day

“What do you see when you see people?”

Mike’s note accompanying the Quought:
This is an empathy question. I use it to slow my reactions toward others down. It brings self-awareness and informs how I might choose to work and relate to others.

There is a great deal more I might say but perhaps it is best not to say too much, to remain suggestive not exhaustive.

This question began to form in my mind once when I was in a break room and overheard one person tell another, “when I see people I imagine a 50 dollar bill on their forehead.” It sounded like some “sales person” coaching another sales person on how to go for the commission.

We can have an instrumental view of people and see them simply as means to achieving our ends. Or we can see them as humans deserving of our respect, care and attention.

Ancient practices of hospitality grew from choosing to see the “stranger” as a person and not a threat. Civility which is much lacking in our world also comes from a willingness to examine our perspective on others.


Related Links:
1. Company: White Rabbit Group
2. Blog: Own your brand

Note:
Quought = Question that provokes thought. Questions are important. Thinking is important. Questions that make you think are very important!

PS:
Squidoo Lens: The Power of Questions!