January 12, 2010

Motivating Through Positive Communication

Posted by Matthew Dent under Communication, Leadership | Tags: , |
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We are constantly being evaluated in every aspect of our lives and we can choose to control how others perceive us by our choice of words and our body language.  People speak to themselves at a rate of 200 words per minute and we are constantly giving cues to what we are thinking.  The practice of motivating others through positive communication will draw others towards you and make you stand alone.

The first key to positive communication starts with reframing.  This process involves rephrasing a negative comment or statement into something positive that is non-threatening.  Three phrases I have learned to help reframe from negative comments are: yet, up till now, and in the past.  This is a very important leadership practice for young individuals aspiring to be great.  If you are building others up you are putting off a vibe that becomes contagious and others want to be around. 

On a daily basis we are flooded with negative energy which can also be contagious.  If you watch the news you may get a story or two within the hour that is actually positive.  It is difficult to have a positive perspective if everything we hear is negative.  Sometimes we need to choose to be deaf to negative input.  Becoming aware of how you interact with others will help you realize how to improve.  Consider carrying a journal around and track your interactions throughout the day in order to grasp an understanding of how well you perform.

Lastly, we want to avoid using “ums” and “ers” and we should eliminate these from our vocabulary.  The best way to by time when communicating is to pause. Rather than fumbling your words consider pausing and grabbing your words prior to speaking. Mastering this concept can be the single most significant tool in communication. When you pause, you will be sending a message to your listener and also gaining their attention.

CRUX: Reframe from using negative remarks and master single most significant communication tool.

“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.” -Plato

 

January 10, 2010

Avoid Time Constraints

Posted by Matthew Dent under Leadership | Tags: , , |
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Do you ever miss deadlines?  Do you fall short of completing the things you needed to get done for the day?  I know it happens to me.  With years of experience and even coaching some leaders have still fail to control the clock.  Everyday it appears we don’t have enough time however we actually have all the time that exists.  There are many reasons why we mismanage our time.  Taking an active role and being self aware will allow us to start to control the clock.  

The first time constraint is “I don’t have time.” Actually, we do have the time; we just don’t manage it well.  Creating “to-do lists,” lead to failure.  Don’t get me wrong, the list is a great idea; the individual managing it is why it fails. We like checking things off a list; we gain a sense of accomplishment even though the tasks are meaningless.  By addressing the biggest priorities and eliminate the insignificant items we will gain valuable time which would have been wasted otherwise.  The next constraint is the lack of quiet time. Working in an environment with a lot of noise can be very distracting and cause your efficiency to decline.  Remove all interruptions or do what it takes to avoid them.  You may need to restructure your office so it is harder for someone to make eye contact with you.  I have found it easier to close the door or not look up when someone is being distracting outside my office in order to avoid okaying invite.  The next constraint is procrastination.  Here is something we are all really good at!  Maybe it stems from college, having to and pull all-nighters because we mismanaged our time and didn’t have our priorities straight.  Start early and have a plan in place.  The last constraint is disorderly workspace.  Take the time to organize your desk and plan out your activities.  The less clutter the better!

CRUX: Remember, we have all the time that exists; it is up to you to control the clock and avoid the time constraints.

“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.” – Albert Einstein

 

January 9, 2010

Creating Leaders Through Mentoring

Posted by Matthew Dent under Leadership, Relationship Building | Tags: , , |
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I am writing from the perspective of a follower and future leader. At a young age, I made a point to observe, listen, and respect the role models that I noticed who were particularly successful in business and life. I have been blessed by their lectures and knowledge which they have shared with me over years. So what is the success to creating leaders through mentoring?

The mentoring process starts with a great leader who enjoys passing on experience and knowledge to their followers.  If there is someone you want to mentor or someone who seeks advice from you, make sure you ask their permission. Permission mentoring is a process that creates and evolves aspiring leaders.  Some individuals don’t want to be coached, or are not ready for instruction at that particular time, so asking for permission is key.  Creating agreements is an effective process in mentoring.  Having willing agreements with employees/followers will help the accountability process.  Most importantly, when setting agreements, try to avoid establishing outcomes. Instead, agree on direction, activities, and conduct.  The mentoring process should set aside uninterrupted time.  During the appointment, recognize specific actions that deserve praise.  As a follower, you really appreciate if your mentor is involved in your development and acknowledges your successes as well as failures.  Lastly, measure your results and make changes when needed.  This is a life long process; the greater the communication is between the two parties, the greater the outcome.

CRUX: Great leaders create followers; excellent leaders create leaders! Ask permission, set an agreement, stay involved and measure your results.

“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.” – John Cosby

 

January 8, 2010

How to Deal With Difficult Customers

Posted by Matthew Dent under Communication, Customer Service, Leadership | Tags: , , , |
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There are many reasons a customer could be acting difficult.  Understanding why will make it easier to satisfy their needs.  This topic is closely related to a recent post on active listening because being able to listen will help you manage a difficult customer.  How successful you are in coming to an agreement will dictate if they stay a customer or leave for a competitor. So, how do we deal with a difficult customer?

It is very important to remain calm and not play into the emotions of a customer.  Sometimes the confrontation is heated, however maintaining logic rather than engaging their emotions will help you manage the situation.  It is very important to let the customer vent while not interrupting.  Once the customer has finished, restate the customer’s emotions and accept their point view while trying to find common agreement.  We want to turn the negative situation into something positive and while creating a common understanding.  Display empathy, we want to avoid words that are emotional triggers such as: can’t, no, I don’t know, and policy.  Lastly, we want to resolve the situation.  We need to confront issues and create a resolution.  People like hearing their name, so use it. Offer to help and get them to state what would create a resolution.  When I worked in the hotel industry, we had a 100% satisfaction guarantee policy. Although rarely used, this was a vital tool to successfully offer a resolution.  Ultimately, it brings great pleasure to a customer if they are able to suggest the resolution.  Ask the customer, “What can I do to resolve the situation?” or “what would be fair to you?”  Listening is the most important tool to having great customer service.

CRUX: Listen around the edges, understand their feelings and emotions.  Engage logically while confronting issues and finding a resolution.

“Customers don’t expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong.”  -DONALD PORTER

 

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