Our new batch of Collegewise counselors just finished training this week. Like those who came before them, they were intensely focused and engaged, totally eager to take in as much as they could so they can get started right on Monday. They also reminded me that the more the crowd gives, the more they’ll get back from me.
I’ve done over 500 presentations to audiences in my Collegewise career, and those who appear engaged, who lean forward and take notes and nod their heads when I make what I think are important points, inevitably get more energy, focus, and advice from me. It’s not a conscious choice. But a great crowd makes a public speaker want to be even better. A mediocre crowd makes you want to go home earlier.
This phenomenon doesn’t apply just to speeches. If you put your hand up regularly in your English class, your teacher will be more likely to extend help to you when you need a little guidance.
If you bring good questions to the interview for your part-time job, and appear excited and thankful for the chance to interview face-to-face, you’ll probably find that the interviewer is more likely to remember you and pull for you to be hired.
If you tell your parents more than just “fine” when they ask you about your day, if you make the effort to stick around for dinner on Friday night, if you get your chores done and thank them for driving you to baseball practice, they’ll probably be more inclined to trust you and let you make your own decisions when it comes to college planning.
Effort extended usually leads to effort given back in return.