The most successful people I know aren't obsessed with themselves. They're obsessed with creating value. Here's the one question that changes how you lead, communicate, and build lasting influence.
Updated: July 14, 2026
"You can have everything you want in life if you will just help enough other people get what they want." — Zig Ziglar
It's one of those quotes that's easy to admire.
Much harder to live.
For much of my career, I believed success came from doing more.
Working harder.
Taking on more responsibility.
Saying yes to one more project.
Like many professionals, I believed that if I consistently delivered exceptional work, everything else would naturally follow—opportunity, recognition, influence, financial success and meaningful relationships.
Sometimes it did.
Many times it didn't.
What ultimately changed my career wasn't working harder.
It was learning to think differently.
Over more than two decades working alongside association leaders, contractors, executives, entrepreneurs and professionals across the country, I began noticing a pattern.
The people who built extraordinary careers weren't always the smartest in the room.
They weren't always the most connected.
They weren't always the most experienced.
But they almost always shared one characteristic.
They created value before they expected value in return.
Instead of asking,
"How can I sell my services?"
they asked,
"How can I solve a problem?"
Instead of asking,
"How can I impress this person?"
they asked,
"What does this person actually need?"
It's a subtle shift.
But it changes everything.
Opportunity Is Earned Long Before It Arrives
Whether you're leading an association, running a construction company, launching a business or growing your career, people remember those who consistently make their lives easier.
They remember the person who:
- Made an introduction.
- Shared a valuable resource.
- Solved a communication challenge.
- Connected them with the right person.
- Offered encouragement at exactly the right moment.
- Simply listened.
Relationships built on value last far longer than relationships built on transactions.
Trust isn't demanded.
It's earned.
And every meaningful opportunity begins with trust.
Communication Is an Act of Service
As someone who has spent my career in strategic communications, marketing and organizational leadership, I've learned that great communication isn't about saying more.
It's about saying what matters most.
The best communicators don't start with themselves.
They start with the people they're trying to serve.
Whether you're writing an email, leading a meeting, delivering a presentation or having a difficult conversation, every interaction answers three questions:
- What problem are we solving?
- Why should this person care?
- What action should they take next?
When communication shifts from promoting ourselves to serving others, something remarkable happens.
People pay attention.
Not because we're louder.
Because they're finally feeling heard.
Four Questions That Can Change Every Conversation
Before your next meeting, networking event, presentation or client conversation, pause and ask yourself:
- What challenge is this person trying to solve?
- What experience or perspective can I share?
- Who could I connect them with?
- How can they leave this conversation better than they arrived?
Those four questions have shaped some of the strongest professional relationships I've built throughout my career.
They've also reminded me that every conversation is an opportunity to create value.
Success Leaves Clues
One of the biggest clues I've found is this:
People who spend their careers creating value rarely have to chase opportunity.
Opportunity eventually finds them.
Because trust compounds.
Relationships compound.
Reputation compounds.
Referrals grow.
Business grows.
Influence grows.
Not because they asked for it.
Because they earned it.
One Small Challenge
This week, choose one person and intentionally create value for them.
Make an introduction.
Share an idea.
Offer encouragement.
Recommend a resource.
Answer a question.
Listen without interrupting.
Expect nothing in return.
You may be surprised how one small act of generosity creates opportunities you never anticipated.
The Lasting Impact of Value
Careers are built one relationship at a time.
Businesses are built one client at a time.
Communities are built one connection at a time.
And those connections become stronger when we stop asking,
"What can I get?"
and start asking,
"How can I help?"
I've come to believe that the greatest competitive advantage any person or organization can build isn't a bigger budget, a better title or a stronger marketing campaign.
It's becoming known as someone who consistently leaves people better than they found them.
That's a reputation worth building.
Your Venture This Week
Before your next important conversation, ask yourself one simple question:
"How can I create value for this person?"
Then pay attention to what happens.
You may discover that helping someone else move forward is one of the most powerful ways to move forward yourself.
At DM Visionary Ventures, we believe meaningful success isn't measured by what we accumulate. It's measured by the value we create. When we see possibilities, take intentional action and help others move forward, we often find ourselves moving forward too.
Vision → Venture → Value™
See Possibilities. Take Action. Create Value.
Written by
Danielle M. Woodall
Danielle M. Woodall is a strategic communications consultant with more than two decades of experience helping associations, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations clarify their message, strengthen member engagement, and advance their goals.
About Danielle →