The World Doesn't Revolve Around You

Continuing my series about how my Mom shaped my approach to business, today I want to share something she told me over and over again. “The World Doesn’t Revolve Around You.”

For this context, it's helpful to understand my family. I was an only child with 2 loving and attentive parents. I had 8 living grandparents and I was the only grandchild on my Mom’s side for 7 years. Plus I had my uncle wrapped around my little finger.  I was well loved to say the least, Mom would have said spoiled.

Practically speaking, Mom may have been telling me that the world didn’t revolve around me all those years to simply keep me grounded because she knew that I was spoiled rotten and it was her job to raise a child that was kind and thoughtful of others.

As I grew older, I realized the deeper wisdom in her words. The world doesn’t revolve around you, was about more than just manners and making me a respectful child. 

These words taught me the importance of empathy, of seeing the world through others' eyes, and recognizing that each person has their own journey and struggles. This wisdom shaped my character, reminding me to be considerate and compassionate, to listen as much as I speak, and to value the perspectives, opinions and feelings of others.

I’ve found Mom’s mantra, “The World Doesn’t Revolve Around You,” to be a guiding principle for effective leadership and business success. Just as in personal interactions, business environments thrive when empathy and humility guide decision-making. A leader who understands that their role is to serve and support their team fosters a culture of collaboration and innovation. By valuing the perspectives and contributions of others, we create stronger, more resilient organizations that can adapt and thrive in a dynamic world.

I hope you can also apply Mom’s wisdom to your own leadership journey. As leaders, we are here to serve the teams we lead. Mom was right, the world doesn’t revolve around us.