One of the amazing things that happens when you figure something out is that you have the ability to teach others.
What a gift!
I adore teaching because it reinforces what I have learned with the bonus of encouraging others. I mean, if I can do it…you can too!
Teaching others is also an easy way to get to know someone and learn from them how they handle and react to different situations.
Teaching also increases your “expert” status in whatever you know.
Sounds great! I am IN!
The drawback can be the time involved with the dreaded, “Can I pick your brain?”
3 Ways to Say YES to Can I Pick Your Brain
- Set up a free lunch/coffee schedule. I have set aside one time slot a month for what I think of as a free lunch. These are meetings that I expect will not benefit me in any way so that I am happily surprised if it turns out that they do! This way when someone asks, I can say yes and lead them to one of the open dates on my calendar. Often it is a month or so out, but that is fine. If they wanted quicker information, they could hire me.
- Write a blog post or do a video about their question. This is the best way to get content ideas because you already know that people are looking for the answer! I have done several how-to videos based on questions that people emailed me and they are among my most searched videos on YouTube. Also, people really appreciate that you took the time to answer their question in-depth and you get bonus content!
- Freely give step one. One thing I often do is give someone step one of the process of the solution they are seeking and then ask them to return to me with their step one in place. It is quicker than outlining the entire series of steps and I have found that only a small percentage actually follow-through. This way you are generous with your information and even offering to give input on their finished step one. Once THEY have invested their time in the outcome by completing what you ask, it is usually a simple and fun process to walk them through the rest.
Always Take the Meeting
I feel like one of the ways I have been successful is by always be willing to meet. Sometimes I don’t know why, but have found years later that a contact becomes important – whether for me or someone I might meet. The challenge is to fit all of those in a very busy schedule.
Be intentional. Be generous. Be careful.