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Month: July 2017

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7 Questions You Can Ask That Will Make You a Better Negotiator

Questions form the foundation for the exchange of information in a negotiation. To the degree you ask better questions, you’ll achieve greater negotiation outcomes. The following are 7 questions you can ask that will make you a better negotiator, and enhance the probability of your negotiation outcomes.

  1. Did you hear what you just said?

This question can be used to draw attention to a point that you wish to highlight. It can also serve as a distraction away from a point that doesn’t serve you.

  1. What’s the best outcome you’d like to see us reach?

This question gets at the heart of what the other negotiator would like   to see as a ‘best outcome’ situation, which gives you insight into his thought process.

  1. What’s most important to you in this negotiation?

Similar to question number 2, you’ll gain insight into the thought process of the other negotiator, which will give you a glimpse of how to negotiate with her. You’ll also get an idea of her priorities.

  1. What concerns do you have about this negotiation, this point, etc.?

This serves as a way to probe deeper into the mindset of the opposing negotiator per what he fears the most about the outcome of the negotiation. Observe his body language. If he says he doesn’t   have any concerns. Note if he sits back or leans forward as he’s speaking. If he leans forward, he’s more likely not to be concerned at that time. If he leans away, that could indicate he does have concerns, he might not want to share them with you at that time.

  1. What can we do to get past this impasse?

By getting his perspective, you gain a sense of how you might unravel the impasse. If you can adopt his suggestions, to the degree they serve you, you’ll be granting him the outcome he wants. That means he’ll buy into it. Remind him that you’re following his suggestions if he balks later.

  1. Why is that so important?

First, be observant of your tone when posing this question. Your tonality might be perceived as the matter being trivial. If it possesses true value to her, you don’t want to give the impression that it’s not a big deal, especially if it is to you. By doing so, she could say, okay, then give it to me. That would leave you in a weakened position.

  1. What can I do to make things right?

Be very cautious when asking this question. You don’t want to open the floodgates by allowing the other  negotiator to ask for the moon and you not be able to grant the request. On the opposing side, once again, you get a sense of what it might take to make it better, which means you can choose to grant some or none of the requests.

As you can see, the questions you pose during a negotiation set the tone and pace of the negotiation. The questions above can be strategically used during a negotiation to direct or redirect the negotiation in a particular direction that serves your purpose. To do so, use the questions in the order that are best suited for your purpose based on when a particular question is needed. If you do this masterfully, you’ll leave the negotiation with more gains than you otherwise might have had … and everything will be right with the world.

 

Remember, you’re always negotiating!

 

 

Categories
Growth Management Personal Development

5 Principles All Great CEOs Stand By

CEOs are constantly concerned with differentiating their business, how they are perceived in the market and profitability, to name but a few areas paramount to running a successful business. I find in my work as a coach and specialist in brand personality, that very often some obvious factors are missing if the potential in these areas is to be anywhere near maximized.

Let’s work on the premise that people buy people – I think we’re all pretty agreed on that one – but let’s look at just why that is so true. Trust is perhaps the number one element that consumers, clients, new talent and partner companies look for when they choose a company to be associated with or buy from. Trust does not come from written words in clever advertising statements or marketing collateral. It simply comes from the feeling that I get when I deal with the people in your company.

That experience is dependent on how the employee or of course you as a senior leader is feeling and how you interact with that stakeholder. The emotion created becomes (in the eyes of the stakeholder) the brand not just of you but the company.

To be successful in our current competitive market, a CEO must be more than an image on the website or an occasional speaker on the internal stage. Today’s CEO accounts for more than 50% of the company’s reputation so this element of your corporate brand cannot be left to chance.

Here, I am sharing the five traits I believe every successful company leader should display if they are to embrace the need to create solid brand personality and lead from the top and be truly engaged with their teams and clients.

  • A willingness to learn and listen. Having the ability and willingness to learn new techniques, receive coaching, listen to others opinions and develop their own emotional & social intelligence and communication skills, and not just rely on past experiences for decision making, makes a CEO more adaptable with new fresh ideas to new challenges and situations.

 

  • Openness and transparency. Vital ingredients for effective leadership – if your people don’t know where they are going and why, they will never follow and support you to the level required for creating a trusted environment and culture. Being approachable in the office and having set ‘open house” times can have very positive effects as an example.

 

  • A true appreciation of what’s required for high employee engagement. If a CEO really cares about what his people need to be happy at work and valued in their roles, a culture of trust and respect is supported from the top down. Providing employees with the training to be confident in themselves and feel truly empowered to do the right thing in a safe environment is paramount to creating a respectful culture.

 

  • A high level of visibility to clients and consumers – CEOs who engage with all their stakeholders by getting outside their office, presenting at external events, active on social media, media interviews wherever appropriate and possible, create a higher degree of authentic personality in the brand that so many consumers demand today. We feel that we know much more about the company if we can see into the heart of the CEO.

 

  • Solid relationship building skills. The ability to build trusted, solid relationships is one of the most valuable skills a CEO can possess or continually develop. Being talked about as a CEO who is truly interested in others, respects their input, is prepared to support their ideas and promote them to others and make people feel valued, who always does what they say they will do, are just some of the ways of creating a solid CEO brand that gets talked about and subsequently creates a personality to the corporate brand that truly differentiates.

 

 

 

 

Categories
Growth Human Resources Management Skills

Let Go of What You Know – 6 Steps to Meaningful Feedback

Click here to watch the video Let Go of What You Know – 6 Steps to Meaningful Feedback

How many times have you received the same response when you have asked for feedback? You ask someone you think will tell you the truth, “How did I do?” and you hear “Good,” “Nice Job” or “That was great!” These responses are not feedback.  Instead they’re telling you what they think you want to hear rather than the truth.  In some instances, this person may be lying to you because they don’t have the confidence to tell you that you take too long to get to the point and it’s difficult to follow your message.

Avoid falling into the trap of fake feedback.

Honest feedback is tough to come by for two reasons.  First, the higher you are in an organization, the less likely people are to give you truthful feedback about any topic, let alone your communication skills and level of influence.

Begin growing your influence today by applying these six steps to meaningful feedback Monday to Monday®.

Categories
Marketing Personal Development

Do You Know Why Your Marketing Content Is Working?

Most large companies have embraced data-driven marketing by now. (If your company hasn’t, I suggest you give it a big hug right now.) But along the way to Big Data Nirvana, a few problems arose. A big one is understanding the difference between correlation and causation. For example, on an e-Commerce site, do you know which web page is most associated with purchase? It’s the Thank You page. You probably guessed that great Thank You pages don’t cause more purchases.

So, yeah, that’s a silly example, but we make similar mistakes all the time. Every time I work with a client to help them figure out their best content, they fall back on the same numbers–which content led to conversion. So, they know to throw out the Thank You page and the shopping cart page, but when they look at the list, guess which pages show up? The best-selling products. OK, but is that because the products are better or the content is better? We don’t know.

Even if we could tease that apart, it’s still unsatisfying, because the reason you want to identify the best content is to make more of it. But how helpful do you think it is to point at a successful page and tell your content writers, “Make more like this one.” One writer slowly raises her hand and quickly asks, “Like that page in what way, exactly?'” At that point you give them all a blank look and start to drool just a little.

You don’t know. You have no idea. You might know that it worked, but you don’t know why. How can you answer this reasonable question? Enter artificial intelligence.

You need one AI technique to tear apart the page–text analytics. You need data analytics to identify which pages have the best outcomes (conversion rates, inbound links, social shares–whatever you think identifies success). You need machine learning to suss out which characteristics seem to be shared by pages that are successful.

Now you can answer the writer’s question because you know exactly in what way the should design the new pages. You know whether pages with bullets work better than ones with streams of text. You know how many images are too many. You know if using brand names at the top of the funnel is a turn off.

You know a lot. And the more pages you look at, and the more characteristics of those pages you look at, and the more activity on your website, the more you learn. Artificial intelligence isn’t the future. It’s now. It isn’t magical–it’s very practical. If you are not doing it, maybe the competitor is answering questions that cause you to drool.

 

Categories
Best Practices Growth Human Resources Management Skills Women In Business

The Missing Piece in Mentoring

 

Mentorship, sponsorship, advocacy… call it what you will, but it needs to go beyond the perfunctory semi-annual meeting to discuss career goals. For most people in that kind of relationship, it probably does, but does it extend to seeking, offering or accepting guidance on the way someone speaks? This is a huge factor in developing executive presence. Short of generically suggesting that someone work on his or her communication skills as is commonly referenced on the annual review, leadership communication tends to be a major missing link.

So what are some of the things to look for in the leadership communication skills in your mentee, and how can you help them work on those areas?

Communication Skills to Look For

Let’s start with content. When presenting information to senior leadership, employees frequently tend to provide too much detail – or “get lost in the weeds,” as they say. Recognize that this is often because they want to convey the thoroughness of their efforts and thought processes, and justify any findings or recommendations that they provide. Reassure them that they’ve been given the opportunity to present this work because they already have the benefit of the doubt that they are qualified and capable, and their results are trustworthy, so get to the point.

Sometimes the challenge is not the quantity of the content, but the level of diplomacy that is used – or missed, as the case may be.

On the one hand, maybe they tend to be conflict-averse, getting tongue-tied at the idea of having to confront someone directly. If so, they often need help finding the words to frame critical feedback in a way that doesn’t beat around the bush, but still allows them to prioritize their relationship without upsetting the other person.

On the other hand, they may have a reputation of being excessively blunt, and come across as unnecessarily combative or defensive. They may need help understanding how their choice of words and delivery (see below) are harmful to their short-term discussion goals and long-term career interests. Then, they will also need alternative framing suggestions to help get their point across without alienating people in the process.

Getting more into the delivery, the ability to show poise and “grace under fire” are often demonstrated by how they control the pace of their speech. Does it sound like one giant run-on sentence? When speakers can articulate their thoughts in finite sentences, like when writing, they sound more in control. They “own” their material. Even if they are fast talkers, something as simple as remembering to pause, just for a second after each point, allows the listeners’ brains to catch up with their ears and digest the last point.

Another problem is that modern social patterns have popularized a bad habit known as “up-speak” or “up-talk,” which is where people sound like they’re always asking a question? At the ends of all their phrases and sentences? Even when they’re not? Which gets really annoying, you know?

The irony is that most people don’t realize when they do it – and it is just as prevalent in men as in women, and in Baby Boomers as in Millennials, contrary to popular belief. It doesn’t even sound like they are interested in what they’re saying… and if their own content doesn’t interest them first, why would it interest anyone else?

So if you are mentoring someone, formally or informally, start listening for some of these patterns. Neglecting to address these issues can undermine all the helpful and well-intended guidance you are otherwise offering.

And if you really want to challenge yourself, remember that taking steps to improve the effectiveness of your own leadership communication is mentoring by example.

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Do you have trouble determining which of these patterns or others are negatively influencing someone’s image or reputation? Are you unsure of how to talk to them about it, or how to help them improve? Or do you have other questions or feedback about this issue? If so, contact me at laura@vocalimpactproductions.com or click here to schedule a 20-minute focus call to discuss it with me personally!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
Best Practices Growth Management Personal Development

Motivation and Feedback

I lied. In the last article, Motivation and Growth, I said that it was the final article in the motivation series. But in fact, this is the last article in the motivation series and also the shortest. To read all the articles in the series go to http://csnetworkadvis.staging.wpengine.com/advisor/sharon-smith/

Last and definitely not least when it comes to motivating those around you, is feedback and recognition. Do you realize that most people go through their day not getting feedback, praise, or recognition, not even at home or from those they love? Praise and recognition differentiates us from animals; it is something we crave and something that drives us to do more and do better. Feedback, both positive and critical is how we improve and grow.

Let’s first look at praise, recognition, and positive feedback. These are often overlooked because many leaders assume that their employees know when they have done a good job and as such don’t provide what’s actually a big piece of motivation.

This can be for something as small as a quieter employee speaking up at a meeting or a more talkative employee staying quiet while others share, as much as it can be for bigger accomplishments. This can be done in front of others or in private. That is best decided based on the individual and what they prefer. It’s about knowing your people because when you know the people you work with at their deepest level, you know who craves public attention and who prefers a quiet “thank you” or “job well done.”

Constructive critical feedback is also important and all to often saved for that dreaded annual appraisal or evaluation. In these one-time-a-year evaluations, feedback is often limited to what is remembered and often too late in the game to fix problems. If I don’t know that I have offended someone or I don’t know that my approach is not well received, how can I fix it?

Have you ever received feedback that sounds something like “people have been complaining about you for the last few months” or “that email you sent two months ago really ruffled a lot of feathers”? That feedback needs immediate action and you are doing your employees a disservice if you wait too long to provide it. If they are damaging their reputation through their approach they deserve to know it and have the opportunity to fix it as early as possible.

I know you might be thinking that giving critical feedback is difficult or uncomfortable. Yes, it definitely can be, so let me share a technique with you to help. It’s called “the sandwich method.” You start by setting time aside to have the conversation in a place that is private. The conversation starts with the good stuff, what they have done well, what you have enjoyed seeing them accomplish, what you are proud of. The positive feedback, praise, and recognition I was talking about.

Then you transition to what you want them to work on, improve on, and know about. This is the critical feedback that they need if they are going to improve and grow. You ask them for their input, ask them how they feel they can make the changes necessary, and get their buy-in. Then you end the conversation on another positive note, another piece of praise or even bringing up the first item again. You want them to leave the conversation on a positive note.

Remember: people cannot fix what they do not know about, and you are not tapping into their motivations when you don’t allow them to improve. They also crave praise and when you can combine a healthy dose of praise with the right amount of constructive critical feedback you will be known as the leader that everyone wants to work for and your employees will be motivated to do good work for the long run.

For more resources please visit www.c-suiteresults.com where you will find articles, video, and audio content to help you get better results and find the edge you are looking for. Questions and comments are always welcome at sharon@c-suiteresults.com

 

 

Categories
Growth Health and Wellness

Belle’s World – Death

Original Prompt published on July 21, 2017 on Belle’s World.

Has a death made you re-evaluate your entire professional career or personal life?

Over the past week, I have read two articles, by successful executives who have dealt with death.  One executive lost a son who was only 18.  He is dealing with the emotional upheaval that he lived longer than his son.  The other executive had a peer who was only 40 suddenly pass away.  These incidents have an impact on our emotional capacity and core.  They make us think about the uncertainty of our own lives, careers and life journey.

The first death that affected me happened in 2012.  I was already 2 years into renewing focus on my life journey and ability to own who I was both in my personal and professional life. I will always remember March 2010 as a true outward turning point in my life – it was when I got divorced for the second time at 33 years old.  I had been shattered emotionally and was starting my journey with a new purpose (another post for another day!).  In 2012, a respected Assistant Vice President passed away on vacation, in his sleep, next to his wife. He was only 41, had no children and was making an impact, in his work both internally and externally.   There were no outward signs or health issues that would give any indication that we were going to lose him.  Over time, it was released that he was very stressed with work but just kept it internalized instead of finding and using his network to support finding solutions to his stress.  I was two years into my new journey and this incident made me think, what I wanted considering I was now single and didn’t want children.  I had already made a shift from being a brand marketer to leading innovation which allowed me to be closer to the way I thought and could envision the future.

The second death hit me harder.  Cathy Coughlin was a mentor and the CMO of AT&T when I knew her.  She accepted me for the person I was – someone who was a little different than others.  Cathy was a successful woman in what had been a very white male dominated executive board.  She came up through the ranks and played her part well.  She was highly intelligent and for her time knew how to fit in but also bring her knowledge to the table.  She followed the rules to get where she was and I respected her greatly for her journey.  I on the other hand, was breaking “rules” left and right both in my personal and professional life.  In the beginning, she would be embarrassed for me if I was a little too open or blunt about how I saw things.   Over time, she began to appreciate me for the same and would ask for my opinion when we met.  She was one of the first work individuals who noticed, when I outwardly started changing my appearance from being old school power suit professional with long hair to owning my presentation of who I was to the outside world.  Cathy passes away in 2015 at the age of only 57.  I was no longer at AT&T but I received 5 texts, when it was announced, from folks who knew my relationship with her.  I cried that night as I hadn’t had a chance to see her since 2012 when I had left her organization.  She had made the biggest impact on me with her support of someone who was so different from her and others in the organization.  She gave me the some of the strength I needed as I was moving on my transformational journey to truly own what path I wanted to take forward.

The third death was very personal and happened at a time when I had already left the corporate world and was spending my full time focusing on me.  I met June in 2014, at the Joule Hotel lobby while she was sipping a dirty martini in honor of a celebration of life for one of her close friends, alone.  I went over and a 2 year friendship began.  She became part of my life family and a mirror to my future.  I thought I had years of time with her but I always made sure to make time for her or meet her if she could.  June was 82 when I met her and a firecracker.  In some ways, I think she was busier than me!  When I was with her, I felt happy and fulfilled that I could learn from her and move forward in owning myself and my journey the way I want it and not based on what the path should be.  She passes away February 1, 2016 at the age of 84 because of a fall.  I will never forget the day, as its my dad’s birthday.  June had also been a very accomplished lady during her time but I knew her as a friend and the relationship we cultivated.

We know that life at the end of the day is about a legacy we leave and the legacy is left through relationships.  As a whole, even the most successful people are remembered by their relationships with those around them.  I am still a very ambitious individual. These deaths were a piece of my self-awareness journey as I continued to focus on how I could make an impact on people and feel fulfilled with the work I was doing.  The journey of owning who I was – personality, thought process, lifestyle – took almost 6 years. It is not an overnight journey and in many ways harder to do alone.  I had the support of a life family that didn’t judge me and gave me a safe space to evolve.  This is what I now provide to others.

I enjoyed the corporate world while I was in it. However, at some point the box wasn’t big enough for my thoughts and ideas.  So today, I focus my energy on impacting individuals and continuing to build relationships doing what I do best.  Connecting and making people see their own paths.  The focus can sometimes make me be away from my “family” but it is a part of what drives me and is accepted by those in my life.  Over the years, I have had the consistent, honest conversations on who I am and how I want to live my life.  It allows the people in my life to manage their expectations on what support I can provide to their lives.  At this point, death is no longer something that will shake my world as I make sure that I have good relations and spend time with those that matter to me.  It will always be shocking when you see young deaths of good people and the definition of young is changing everyday as we live longer.

How has death affected your view of your personal life and professional career?

Welcome to Belle’s world. Everything in this world is based on a bell curve. Our media concentrates on giving advice to make everyone be a part of the masses.

This is a weekly series of Urvi’s insights on her perception of the world. They say perception is reality and she lives in her own fantasy world. This allows her to delve into the human element of our lives, helping individuals decipher their own souls, to understand, who they are and what they want, in the journey of life.

Belle’s world explores the extremes and goes beyond the surface. Ready to read about some of the “elephants in the room?”

Contact urvi, if you want to build your emotional wealth and enhance your life based on your inner core.  A confidential and non judgement zone that allows you to begin to flourish in life, love, career, wealth – your personal journey.  #thehumanelement

Categories
Best Practices Management Marketing Skills Women In Business

Persistence — in Negotiations

Sunday Message of Hope

“Persistence”

How focused and persistent are you about being successful in your life?

A small boy is sent to bed by his father. Five minutes later…. “Da-ad….” “What? “I’m thirsty. Can you bring me a drink of water?” “No. You had your chance. Lights out.” Five minutes later: “Daaaaad..” “WHAT?” “I’m THIRSTY. Can I have a drink of water??” “I told you NO! If you ask again, I’ll have to spank you!!” Five minutes later..

“Daaaa-aaaad…..” “WHAT!” “When you come in to spank me, can you bring a drink of water?”

That story highlights the persistence the little boy had for reaching his goal of getting a glass of water. It also highlights the consequences he was willing to endure (spanking) to get the glass of water. What are you willing to endure?

I suggest, if you’re willing to persevere and apply the degree of dedication that’s needed to succeed, along with applying the correct knowledge to do so, you can achieve almost any goal you set your mind upon. Your success really is up to you. Be it in a negotiation (you’re always negotiating) or other aspects of life, commit to the action needed to reach your goals, no matter what that goal may be. If a goal is worth the outcome, it’s worth the effort required to reach it. If you’re persistent and follow your commitment with action, you’ll be better for it no matter where you end up, because you will have gained insight about your abilities to move towards a goal … and everything will be right with the world.

Remember, you’re always negotiating!  

Categories
Growth Management Skills

3 Qualities of a Great Mentor

 

If you want to learn what it takes to become a great mentor, one place to look is at the great mentors who’ve influenced your success. As a motivational speaker, my mentors (and I’ve had several including Jim Kouzes, Tom Peters, and Terry Pearce) had more confidence in my abilities than I did, and always looked for opportunities to shove me into the training and speaking spotlight. If you don’t think you have a mentor yet, try looking at others who’ve achieved their goals and see what they learned from their mentors. At a minimum, I think you’ll find that great mentors do three things that conveniently all start with the letter E – they encourage, equip, and exemplify. I’ll highlight one in this blog and the others in subsequent blogs. So read on and then stay tuned.

MENTORS ENCOURAGE

Great mentors help you see the possibilities of your personal portrait when your life is still a mostly blank canvas.

For instance, Deborah Sweeney, the CEO of MyCorporation, learned early that she should never settle for less than her best. Why? Because her mentor, who happened to be her mother, stressed that message.

“She always told me, ‘This or something better,’” Sweeney said. “This had a real influence on how I approached my college and job. I was unwilling to settle for anything less than my highest potential.”

Marina Lau, a senior marketing manager at JotForm, says one of her key mentors provided all sorts of practical advice, but it was all built on a foundation of creating a strong sense of inner confidence.

“She taught me that even before you can accumulate decades of experience, it’s important to always remember your value as an employee, because you inherently come with a unique set of skills, continually cultivated over time,” Lau said. “Instilling that confidence in me as a young professional has been an invaluable experience.”

Mentors don’t just encourage with words, but with actions. When Ruth Wilson first opened Brightmont Academy, a private school for grades 6-12, she found encouragement from Dr. Albert Reichert, a developmental pediatrician. In addition to helping her work through specific challenges, Dr. Reichert put his reputation on the line by recommending Wilson’s new school to families under his care.

“More than one parent expressed skepticism about my age,” Wilson said, “but most acquiesced based on Dr. Reichert’s endorsement of my program.”

The good doctor believed in his protégé, and all great mentors encourage with words and actions the inspired confidence. So don’t just tell people you believe in them. Show them.

MENTORS EQUIP

Few things are more frustrating than trying to take on a project without the right equipment or tools. Try setting up a tent without the poles. Or building a swing set without the nuts and bolts. Try building a tree fort with no hammer or nails (not that I’ve done that).
So what tools should you offer as a mentor? Whatever your protégé needs to succeed, of course.

Mentors might equip their protégés with specific skills like how to build healthy relationships, how to use the company’s project management software, how to become a leader, what to look for when reading a P&L, or, in the case of Adwoa Dadzie, how to think big.

“I needed to build my ability to think about broad impact,” said Dadzie, the VP of HR for a Fortune 500 company. “As an HR leader, what I do for one person can have long-term vast impact on all employees in a work group, in a building, and, potentially, in a company. I needed to learn how to think more strategically about the impact of my actions and my decisions to minimize negative impact and maximize the positive ones.”

The tools mentors provide aren’t always skills-based. Sometimes they look like an email introduction to a key contact or a word of advice on dealing with an important stakeholder. And they often come in the form of pearls of wisdom and nuggets of advice than become engrained in someone’s thinking, equipping them for challenges for years to come.

When Steven Benson was starting out at Google, his first sales manager, Mark Flessel, stressed the importance of focusing on the needs of his customer’s business. “Then I could map my solution to what makes them successful,” said Benson, who now is founder and CEO of Badger Maps. That “what do others need” mindset now plays a role in how he builds his business.

If you’ve had a great mentor, you’ve probably experienced this. You’re facing a situation and thinking through what to do when suddenly your mentor’s words spring freshly into your mind. Live those words out. And pass them on to someone else.

MENTORS EXEMPLIFY

I’ve never met great mentors, or heard of any for that matter, who didn’t walk the walk as well or better than they talked the talk. Mentors aren’t perfect, of course, but they teach hard work by working hard. They teach great listening skills by listening well. They teach perseverance by persevering.

The most important mentor in Katherine Sullivan’s life, for instance, never finished high school, but Sullivan’s now 94-year-old grandfather worked hard to provide for his family during the Great Depression, fought for his country in World War II, and became a successful business owner.

“As a young girl, I watched his work ethic and success drive him in life and business,” said Sullivan, CEO of Marketing Solved. “This was directly transferred to me … Seeing his hard work taught me that I earn everything I get and nothing is ever handed to you.”

Denise Supplee, co-founder of both SparkRental.com and SnapLandlord.com, watched her father build a business by taking risks, so she learned not to fear the challenges that come with entrepreneurship.

“It is easy to speak about things you want to do, but you must take action,” she said. “He built a business empire against all odds.”

No matter what you preach as a mentor, the message that will have the biggest impact will come from how you live – your attitude, your sense of humor, your commitment to excellence, your investment in others, your sense of self-worth, your gratitude, your … well, your everything.

It’s interesting that when I speak to people about the mentors in their lives they often refer to people who weren’t formally mentors. They were just people who invested in them out of love and lived in a manner worth emulating. You never know who is watching, so the time to lead by example is now … and always.

 

Categories
Best Practices Growth Management Skills Women In Business

Turning a Faux Pas into a Win

The other day I was doing a training on leadership communication for a large client in the communication technology industry. Among their many products and services are video and teleconferencing tools. In the course of my program, we got to the part about facilitating virtual meetings, and as I clicked to the next slide, I suddenly heard a couple of boos from the crowd. I look up and realized my gaffe: my default visual was an image of people chatting on Skype – a direct competitor.

Now I had a choice to make: I could flush beet-red, babble a string of mortified apologies, and run out of the room in humiliation, or I could turn it around and make it a “teachable moment.” I opted for the latter, and explicitly shared this very choice with the group.

“Actually, I’m glad this happened, because it allows me to demonstrate some additional strategies in leadership communication, rather than just talking about them.”

From there, I walked them through a sequence of steps, both in addressing my personal mistake, and narrating the conscious strategy behind each step I was taking in the process. I share it with you here, so that you can also learn from my mistake, and use the experience to your advantage, as I did.

First, I apologized. I had made an undeniable, objective mistake, and it was my responsibility to own it. My voice stayed even in speed and volume to indicate composure, and model the degree of drama that I believed was warranted by the situation, so they could follow suit.

Second, I briefly explained my original intention behind the mistake, providing just enough information to help them understand what happened and increase empathy. In this case, at the time I selected these images, my focus and biggest challenge was finding appropriate pictures with sufficiently high resolution so I could zoom it on the slide and still have the picture be in sharp focus for the best visual experience, which limited my options based on the images I found on-line.

Third, I offered a solution to the problem, and engaged the audience in helping me to solve it. “Let me offer this to you in return: From here on out, I will replace these two images with your products instead, and have them be the standard images when I present to other companies in the future. How does that sound?” I saw lots of head nods in the audience. Free advertising for them; who wouldn’t appreciate that?

Then I followed up with, “But I’m going to need a little assistance. Since I wasn’t able to find good, high-resolution images of (Product X) online, I need one of you to send me some. Who here will volunteer to send them to me?” Half a dozen hands shot up in the air. Now, not only had I offered an agreeable solution, but I had enrolled the client’s enthusiastic participation in helping me execute the decision. Now we were partners, sharing in the responsibility to achieve the desired outcome.

At the end of the day, one woman said, “I really wanted to see where you were going to go with it once that (competitor) image popped up, but you handled the whole situation perfectly! I’m so glad we got to go through the process with you.”

In the end, what matters most is how you respond in the moment. Keep your composure, acknowledge the error, apologize appropriately, give only as much explanation as is necessary (sometimes none), then offer a remedy and see it through. This enables you to maintain control of the situation and lead by example, which helps you to build (or rebuild) trust, reinforcing your image and reputation as a leader.

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Do you have questions or comments about the issues in today’s post, want to know how to apply them, or how to help others with them? If so, contact me at laura@vocalimpactproductions.com or click here to schedule a 20-minute focus call to discuss them with me personally!