Hustle With Humility, Emphasizing Your Role as Problem Solver
A longstanding friend recently commended me for what she called my hustle or what I describe as energy put in motion to keep growing my business, finance, and investment ghostwriting portfolio. Happy as I am to receive compliments, praise is not my end goal. I relish getting great testimonials for jobs well done but what motivates me is working with smart and dedicated C-suiters and B2B brand vanguards who want to share their knowledge with others.
Actionable content that educates, empowers, and entertains is a gift to your audience. It’s a way of saying, “I want to make your life better.”
This concept of collaborative problem solving is nothing new for those of us who long ago adopted the mindset of a relationship-oriented consultant. As Dale Carnegie, bestselling author of How to Win Friends and Influence People, explained, “I had to help them solve their problems. I had to make each session so inspiring that they wanted to continue coming.”
Qualities of an Effective Problem Solver
Just as I help authors, speakers, and companies, behind the scenes, solve their content-related problems, these same authors, speakers, and companies are problem solvers themselves.
- They develop products and services to deliver value to their target markets.
- They sponsor thought leadership to make it easier for informed decision makers to buy their products and services.
- They tackle problems by staying abreast of industry trends.
- They actively listen to their prospects and existing clients to better understand their problems, using tools such as surveys or Voice of the Customer interviews.
- They create alternative solutions and then discuss them with the decision makers who need assistance.
- Once a solution is implemented, these problem solvers assess the results and modify the solutions as needed.
Persuade and Excel by Being a Henry Ford Problem Solver
Known as the person who revolutionized the automobile industry, Henry Ford observed that most people expend resources to ignore problems rather than solving them. This opens the door wide to the doers to separate themselves from the pack as seekers of remedies. As a doer in a world of problem avoiders, creating great content solo or working with a ghostwriter is one way to communicate how you can deliver value. Your content can be specific to your direct marketing efforts and sales pitches or more subtle, taking the form of an explainer brochure or issues-driven research paper.
Avoid coming off as arrogant. Like Ford, a genius who came from meager beginnings, renowned problem solvers are persuasive.
- They are relatable.
- They use verbal and non-verbal communication techniques to build a rapport with their audience.
- They tell stories to evoke an emotional response such as envy, fear, or social acceptance.
- They elicit a desire for change from the status quo to a better life after a problem is solved.
- They express their sincerity to clean up messes, to innovate, and embrace the unknown.
- They build agile teams and promote collegial trust.
- They exhibit discipline and a willingness to do tedious work without asking for recognition.
Your Content Should Reflect Your Capabilities, Confidence, and a Partnership Focus
Narcissism stifles creativity, introduces suspicion, lowers morale, leads to groupthink, and is overall a terrible way to persuade your target market that you are a talented and collaborative problem solver.
In a world of Miranda Priestly (The Devil Wears Prada) and Michael Scott (The Office) personalities, be a Tony Stark (Iron Man) or George Bailey (It’s a Wonderful Life). Demonstrate your savvy as a results-ready consultant with “can do” modesty. Hustle gently and make sure the voice, format, and relevancy of your content attracts, not repels, the people you want to reach. If that sounds good to you, schedule a complimentary discovery call to talk about your ghostwriting needs.
Tags: Dale Carnegie, Henry Ford, Humility, Problem Solver
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Susan Mangiero
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