Sales tips, leadership communication skills insight and more from Steve Giglio, sales training professional for more than 25 years.
I am very excited to let you know that today, my first “expert blogger” piece was published on FastCompany.com.
I really hope you will take a moment and check it out. Also, I would be honored if you would post a comment. The more comments I get, the more likely I’ll be asked back! A repeat performance!!
Often in my executive development programs, a client will lament that their direct reports need to fundamentally change how they operate to achieve their goals. Sound familiar?
As I work with them to pinpoint each team member’s development areas, I often ask them what they’ve done to alert their employees to these areas of growth. I go further to inquire about whether they have created a development plan for each associate? Many times, the answer is no. Other times, it is yes but the plan hasn’t been revisited in ages. In either case, the executive has put the responsibility of development on the shoulders of the associate with little or no guidance. Is it any wonder that there isn’t much change month to month, year to year?
I can’t think of a time when forging sincere relationships is more important in our business lives.
What you can learn, including recent company news, changes in title/position, background information, is mission critical walking into a prospective client meeting. In fact, if you don’t walk in with it, be ready to be x-rayed for it. It is quite impressive to say to a prospective client, “congratulations on your promotion last week” or “it’s clear from your declaration in XYZ news that your company is in this business to stay.” Conversationally articulating this discovery lifts your dialogue along with your credibility.
Have you Googled someone and had it produce a surprising outcome? Let me know!
As we roll into the holidays and 2012 my wish for all of us is that we perform as our client’s steward, not their custodian.
A steward really acts as an advisor with a fiduciary focus versus a custodian who merely reactively looks after a client. One works to prevent messes the other is only there to clean them up after they’ve happened.
In 2012, prove to your clients that you’ve earned the right to be their steward. You’ll do that by demonstrating the depth and understanding you have of their business and the forward-field view you present to them showing your preemptive vision. The more the stewardship the stronger the client bond, and the more prosperous their, and your, 2012 will be.
Earlier this week, I was coaching a senior level executive who is quite talented in her profession. Her Achilles heel, she explained, is that “people just don’t get it when I explain something.”
Through a lot of questioning, I discovered the reason. She often jumps to the end of her thought path without leading her team there. She assumes she is speaking to people at her same knowledge level and that they are as familiar with her thought process as she is. When she finally looks up to see if they are with her, they are so far lost that they really aren’t “getting it.”
Showing your path requires a sincere level of commitment that your audience sees the situation the way you see it. However, their only chance of seeing it from your frame of reference is to teach it to them at their level of comprehension, NOT yours. You have to remember that YOU know where you are leading them…but they don’t. And if you take short cuts, you run the risk of getting to the end but being there alone. The patience and empathy required to show them your thought path will be seen and appreciated by your team, elevating your image as an effective coach versus a harried leader.
In meetings it’s easy to judge/vote on what your about to say then choose to be silent on the matter…think again.
Even if you are off base a bit you will mutually discover it by engaging versus running silent. Remaining passive and neutral can do more damage to the communication/collaboration than good.
“In business, it’s always good to be a little paranoid.”
One of the great things about getting your message right in business, whether it’s to a Board of Directors or client, is that you can cheat on the test!
How?
Simply by asking your audience what is essential to them.
It’s paramount to understand the goals and challenges of your listeners. You also need to know what they think of you and your team’s work. And the only way you can truly know is to ask and get direct feedback. It may not be pretty sometimes, but you will then be able to craft your messaging to what they have said they need. You can match your services/product to their desired outcome. But be sure to ASK them what they need, instead of trying to figure it out in a vacuum.
Try it and let me know how it goes.
If you have ever done work with me, you know that I am a big proponent of everyone in an organization knowing the company’s value proposition. It is the DNA and how the company differentiates itself from competitors. It is also how the company rightfully earns the price put on its products and services. A recent article on HBR.com backs that up so, take a read of it HERE.
Look for my comments too! What are your thoughts on this?
