In A Hurry? Go It Alone!
I had the privilege of going to Guatemala with John C. Maxwell and 139 coaches, trainers and speakers, in June 2013. We trained 20,000 people representing a cross-section of 7 different streams of influence; government, education, business, media, arts, entertainment, and family.
For two and half days of the weeklong event, the coaches were trained in the Transformational Leadership curriculum at the Intercontinental Hotel, in Guatemala City. The days were long and pack with many experiences that will remain with me for a lifetime.
One such memory happened at a break. Right outside of the training room just before all the snacks and beverages were two display tables. On the right side as we came out of the room was a man who sold jewelry. Bracelets, necklaces and earrings covered the table with a large mirror for those who wish to see how they looked when trying on the pieces. On the left side was a Mayan woman with her children. She displayed, Mayan mats, woven bags, and musical instruments great for souvenirs. This intrigued me so much I wanted to take a closer look.
As I approached the table her warm friendly smiled drew me in closer to see what was offer. I immediately saw something that caught my interest. I asked how much a woven mat would be in U.S. dollars. She responded, “Oh, Let me show you.” She turned to a table behind her and then handed over to me a colorful stack of woven Mayan mats. As I quickly went through the stack I asked how much a royal blue one was in the middle of the stack. She smiled broadly and replied, “It is $30 but for you Lady, $25”. I knew what she was doing but I didn’t care. For me she was giving me an experience so many thousands of other street vendors could not do.
As the sales transaction was coming to a close and she was writing the sale up for me, I asked if she knew what “collaboration” meant. She had a puzzled look on her face and shook her head no. The training session was about to begin again which cut our conversation short. I thanked her and wished her and her well.
Even though this Guatemalan sales woman had no idea of what the word “collaboration” meant, she did know she needed to connect with the Intercontinental Hotel and secure her piece of real estate right outside of our training room. She became more than just another street vender who tourists ignore.
She connected with the Hotel to bring our team a safe environment to purchase souvenirs. She provided an opportunity as well as an example of how the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in a country filled with debilitating social issues that have crippled business in Guatemala. Instinctively, she realized she needed to build a relationship with the hotel. The hotel, on the other hand realized that they would help the tourist want to come back and spend more money if their experience was safe.
In reality, it was a “Win-Win” for both the woman and hotel.
Many in the US have the tendency to want to be a “Lone Ranger” and not want to exert the effort to form partnerships. A quote from John Maxwell teaches, “If you want to go fast go alone. If you want significance bring someone with you.”
About the Author
Alana McKinney is an award winning best-selling author who helps Entrepreneurs build community through social capital.
The systems and collaboration that are used to generate millions of dollars in referral marketing for her clients have been recognized internationally for over 25 years.
Contact Alana at : http://www.johncmaxwellgroup.com/alanamckinney/