What you want is not important: Leadership by Arjo Klamer

What you want is not important

When giving guidance, never ask: ‘What do you want?’ People want all kinds of things. Money, success, more free time. Instead ask: ‘What is important to you?’ When you ask people what they want you address them as children, when you ask them what’s important to them, you address them as adults. That is much more powerful. It works with your family, it works with your employees.

“Awareness is a difficult thing, but when you are aware, you can start making it real.”

While asking that question, you have taken the first step towards realizing values. Realizing values has to do with awareness. Awareness is a difficult thing. I have worked with many different kinds of people on many different lines of work and they all had trouble articulating exactly what was important to them. When they are aware, they can start making it real.