Are People USING You? Or, Do You Create Leverage
One of the things that many teenagers HATE is to be used. There are many people around us that are users. Those are the people that suck you dry and give you nothing in return. Well, it has become time for you and I to turn the tables on those around you that are users.
Leverage is a fundamental key in business. You can leverage OPT (Other People’s Time), OPE (Other People’s Efforts), OPM (Other People’s Money), OPI (Other People’s Ideas) and OPA (Other People’s Authority). Use leverage in every way you can to increase your business and influence.
In the old world, one of the most critical pieces of hard ware was the catapult. It was the ultimate tool for creating fear and dread in the opposition. It operates on the concept of leverage. Using very little effort, it can create massive fear and advantage.
Here is an example of a catapult. Staying with the “fun” atmosphere. This is pumkin chucking in Morton, IL. This contest draws hundreds of entries per year from local, national and international entities. Many universities and businesses also enter in this contest.
OPT (Other People’s Time)
Whenever you hire somebody to work for you, that is using other people’s time. Other people’s time is useful because you can only accomplish so much by yourself. Moreover, as long as the benefit of having that person outweighs the investment, it makes sense. Additionally, you can hire as many as you need to keep up with workload.
This is the fundamental OPX.
OPE (Other People’s Efforts)
You use other people’s effort when the task is beyond your capabilities in either a physical sense, knowledge or mental capability. Using somebody who has more talent than you in a certain area is smart. We can’t all go to school for everything, or be the most impressive physical speciman.
OPM (Other People’s Money)
When you put your money in a bank, what do they do with it? They rent it out to others for more, right? That’s called arbitrage. Well, if we knew how to do that, we would do the same thing in a heart beat right? Well, most of you can do the same thing and should.
OPI (Other People’s Ideas)
Bill Gates is the quintassential master of using other people’s ideas. Microsoft did not invent one piece of software or hardware that they are selling. They take other people’s ideas and improve on them to make them better or marketable.
IBM hires people that their only job is to think and come up with ideas that they can use for marketing. They usually lead the field in patents every year. Then, they make money by licensing that IDEA to others. Their licensing revenue is one of the top ten in the world year in and year out. They know how to use other people’s ideas.
OPA (Other People’s Authority)
Well, I have to admit, I do a good job here. But, you can too. I continuously use, Jim Rohn, Brian Tracy, Jeff Olson, Dave Sherwin, Dave Hall and others who have a lot of authority in a particular area and reference them for the authority I lack.
You have people that you network, work or know of who have authority in a particular area that you can use to gain credibility for certain product or service that you wish to sell. This is also sometimes referred to as third party validation. Magazines, D&B, Consumer Reports, Wall Street Journal are all examples of authority in some form. Use these third party sources to create authority for your presentations.
All of these are forms of leverage that you can use to create a sense of authority around you.
You don’t have to be the best. But, you should know how to reference the best.
Hey, I really want some more examples of leverage. Leave me a comment on other areas of OPX and beyond.
Robert, a great OP_ is Other People’s Networks. In some sense, you really don’t need a great network, you just need to connect to someone who’s a really good networker. Malcom Gladwell’s book “The Tipping Point” discusses characteristics of good networkers. If you can get 2-3 of these folks and get hooked into their networks, watch out. Then your focus becomes less on being a network “geek” and just looking for those who are good at networking hooking up with them. Exponential return on investment!
You have wonderfully made understood the meanings of
OPT (Other People’s Time),
OPE (Other People’s Efforts),
OPM (Other People’s Money),
OPI (Other People’s Ideas) and
OPA (Other People’s Authority
Great Post… Keep it up
You have really put a positive spin on the idea of using other people and the things they have to offer, from affirmation to ideas to material things. Of course, this is a two way street. We must also be open to share these things with others. That makes us more than users. It makes us a team. And good teams succeed by combining the most of every members positive attributes. I agree with your final part about using other people’s authority. As a tutor, and former classroom teacher, I cannot tell you how many times I have “dropped” a name to add authority to a concept I was teaching. Thank you for putting it writing the way to lead to success.
Your idea of using other people is marvelous. Thanks for your article on so many aspects of how to make use of people or create leverages. It’s really fantastic.
Anyone hear is actually using this model like in a way that chintan said? I hear in reality it isn’t as easy as it sounds.
what does OPX mean?