Who gets the last piece of bread?

You’re out to dinner with a group of people and then it happens: the last remaining piece of bread sits alone in the communal basket, practically begging for someone to eat it.

That’s when I pay close attention to how people react:

Does someone ask if another person at the table wants the last piece of bread?

Does some self-important ass boldly grab it and devour every last morsel without a care in the world?

It may seem meaningless, but I believe the way some people react in these mundane situations tells you a lot about their character, and even what they’re like as an entrepreneur.

The empathetic entrepreneur

Before grabbing the last slice of bread from the basket, do you notice if anyone around you seems like they want it more? [Tweet]

If so, what do you do? It comes down to this:

Can you empathize with someone else’s needs for that last slice of bread?

Both life and business are filled with similar situations to the bread basket example, and the bottom line is that if you spend all of your time digging into the last piece of bread without considering anyone else’s needs, you’re going to end up very unpopular or worse yet, completely alone–and that’s not where you want to be as a person, or as an entrepreneur.

The last slice of bread can really be a metaphor for any resource, a goal you’re working towards, or anything that’s considered “in demand.”

When you run a business, sometimes it can help to have tunnel vision in pursuing that goal—after all, nothing can slow you down, right?

Wrong.

Ultimately, your headstrong/single-minded ways will get the best of you and your product, and maybe even your life.

What I’ve found to be more rewarding and powerful than selfish tunnel vision is my ability to empathize with others, understand their needs first, and then help them reach their goals.

Sure, in the process, I can also articulate mine, but interacting with other entrepreneurs—some of whom are just starting out—activates empathy in me, and ultimately, that puts me in a better position.

Entrepreneurship is a social endeavor, so act accordingly

This realization about the importance of empathy didn’t happen overnight for me, and it certainly didn’t come from me—it came from Zig Ziglar, the legendary salesman/entrepreneur who grew up in Alabama, the tenth of twelve children.

Zig once said, “You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want.” [Tweet]

Helping others get what they want starts when you stand in their shoes and really hear what they’re saying instead of blasting your spiel all of the time. [Tweet]

Super important to point out:

Developing this kind of empathy works wonders when it comes to customer development.

Why? Easy:

When you get better at listening to what everyone else wants, you become more equipped to build products people actually like to use. [Tweet]

Crazy, huh?

Well, maybe at first, but when you get the hang of it, not so much.

Entrepreneurship is a social sport—it’s not meant to be pursued in isolation; the more you get out there, listen, and engage, the better off you’ll be.

listening

The moral of the story

Empathy isn’t something you can list on a resume. [Tweet]

It’s not going to necessarily make you rich in the traditional sense, but it will make you wealthy with experience that comes not just from your own life, but from the lives of others.

It starts with the bread basket example and translates to almost every facet of entrepreneurship and life.

Getting a read on other people before making a move, and trying to understand their situation first, will empower you and your goals with energy that doesn’t just come from yourself, but from all of the people around you who, in turn, are ready and willing to offer up that last slice when you need it the most.