Director Frank Darabont of the film, “The Green Mile” talks about how Academy Award winner Tom Hanks helped Michael Duncan to achieve his best-
“Fifteen, twenty years from
now what I will remember about filming the Green Mile; it was one thing and I will never forget
this: As we were shooting, the camera is on Michael Duncan first, I realized I
was getting distracted by Hanks. He was delivering an academy award winning performance
off the camera for Michael Duncan; to give him every possible thing he needs or
can use to deliver the best possible performance. He wanted Michael to do so
well and look so good. I will never forget that.”
In 1999, Michael
Clarke Duncan was nominated for an academy award as Best Actor in a
supporting role category. Thus kick-started his career and so did their
relationship.
At Michael
Clarke’s funeral in 2012, Tom Hanks was one of the first stars to pay tribute
to him. He said, “'He was magic. He
was a big love of man, and his passing leaves us stunned.”
Tom Hanks like
so many other actors could have been the first to bail out on Duncan. Instead
he offered to help and it obviously paid off. Tom Hanks added immense value to
Duncan thereby enabling him to become successful. They shared a close
relationship.
V-Value
When people
think about us, do they say to themselves, "My life is better because of
that person"? Their response probably answers the question of
whether we are adding value to them.
Many people end
up being discouraged and dissatisfied because they haven’t been able to achieve
their dreams yet. When we enter with the mindset of adding value to them and
help them achieve their dreams, the relationship that we have with that
individual goes to a higher level.
When we add
value to someone, we make their lives more valuable. It elevates them from
where they are and the more higher they go, the higher we go.
Zig Ziglar says,
"You can get everything in life you want if you help enough other people
get what they want."
When we approach
any individual with the mindset of adding value to them in whatever way we can,
not only do they become successful but so do we. Adding value is always
a win-win situation.
Take
Away Principle:
Adding value is a win-win situation. When we add
value to someone, we make their lives more valuable hence making our
relationship more valuable.
Tips
on adding value:
1. Make
yourself more valuable. You can only make them valuable if you’re valuable.
2. Find
out what they value you for and work on making it better.
3. Sincerely
listen to them. Ask the question: what’s their dream and help them achieve it.
4. Accompany
them on their journey and in turn they will accompany you.
