November 13, 2018 - C-Suite Network™

“If you want to stand out, don’t stand in a crowd.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert

How do you separate yourself from the masses? Are you someone that glides in the strides of the crowd and then wonder why others don’t recognize your uniqueness?

It’s Not Just Coffee:

People lined up for miles to get their car washed. Most didn’t grumble because they knew they’d get a cup or two of that delicious coffee. It was a special blend that wasn’t served anywhere else. It was more than just coffee; some said it was a slice of heaven. Patrons told the owner, they didn’t really come for the car wash, they came for the coffee. The coffee was the establishment’s uniqueness. What’s your uniqueness?

Your Uniqueness:

As shown through your fingerprints, you have uniqueness in you. Some people are afraid to display their uniqueness for fear of how others might judge them. Some don’t even recognize that they possess traits that would endear them to others.

By not embracing and using the uniqueness that was bestowed upon you, you’re shortchanging yourself and those that might benefit from your gifts. If it’s fear that’s stopping you from displaying the inner person that you’ve incarcerated, what are you fearful of? Even if others should mock you, their mockery does not have to become your reality. Even if others reject you, you do not have to reject yourself.

Your Mind:

Everyone wants to be liked and appreciated. That desire is what keeps some people in society’s zone of safety. It becomes the self-imposed boundaries that surround their mind. It keeps them grounded when they could be soaring high in the sky.

Embrace the endowments that have been bestowed upon you. They’re gifts from a higher source. Shrink not from ‘the bigger you’. Allow it to escape from the small façade in which it currently resides. You’ve already outgrown that space.

Fear Not:

Fear not your greatness. It’s waiting to be exposed. Once you release it, you’ll find a greater life, more self-fulfillment, and a higher sense of purpose awaits you. Once you break the shackles that restrain you from a higher calling, you will embolden your uniqueness. Then, you’ll take the form that you were destined to be … and everything will be right with the world.

What does this have to do with negotiations?

In a negotiation, a negotiator’s fears can be sensed. When he holds back an offer that stems from a lack of self-assuredness, doubt, or courage, he displays the lack of commitment he has for the offer. That can leave him in a precarious negotiation position. That can become an extremely difficult position from which to free himself.

During a negotiation, your uniqueness signals that you’re a negotiator that knows how to negotiate effectively or one that diddle-daddles. Your persona and reputation are at stake. How do you want them to precede you in your next negotiation? Will it be one that people speak of as being unique or will they say, “yeah, he’s just like coffee – you can find what he’s offering everywhere.” It’s your call. Make it a unique one.

Remember, you’re always negotiating!

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d really like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

To receive Greg’s free “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Sunday Negotiation Insight” click here http://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

#Uniqueness #Think #Success #Emotion #Business #Progress #SmallBusiness #Negotiation #NegotiatingWithABully #Power #Perception #emotionalcontrol #relationships #liars #HowToNegotiateBetter #CSuite #TheMasterNegotiator #ControlEmotions

I see young business professionals entering the workforce, and they’ve got all the technical training out the wazoo (now, that’s a technical term for ya!) and often they’ve got degrees to the point that it looks like alphabet soup behind their names, but they are far from having what it takes to be successful in today’s work environment.

They really need a guiding hand, tips, strategies, and techniques for how to APPLY their training and education in the real world of their job. What they need in short, mon ami, is mentoring.

“What exactly is a mentor?”

A mentor is someone who commands a certain degree of respect, either by virtue of holding a higher-level position, or because of experience doing the job. Mentoring is most often defined as a professional relationship in which an experienced person (the mentor) assists another (the mentoree, mentee, or protégé) in developing skills and knowledge that will enhance the less-experienced person’s professional growth. A mentor takes a special interest in a person, and in teaching that person skills and attitudes to help him succeed. Think Mr. Miyagi and Daniel-San from the movie The Kirate Kid.

A term that you often hear in Cajun country is comme ca`, which translates literally to “like this/like that”. As a kid when a parent or grandparent was teaching us something, they would say, “Comme ca” as they demonstrated the task. In a similar way, a mentor is someone that a less experienced employee can go to and ask questions, have a task demonstrated, and generally bounce around ideas.

Companies who are on the right track are creating structured mentoring programs to help less experienced team members get acclimated quickly and start progression in their career.

Here is what you are missing out on if you don’t have a mentoring program:

1. Orienting the new employee to the organization’s culture. Knowing the culture is almost as important as doing the job well. Job satisfaction comes not only from good performance evaluations but also from feeling that she fits in, has friends at work and can be herself.

2. Talent Development. A mentor can help the new employee learn the skills particular to this position, apply their education or training on the job, and most importantly, develop the confidence to perform the job well.

3. Knowledge sharing. With baby boomers retiring at record rates today, organizations are suffering major “brain drain” as retirees take all of their knowledge, experience, and wisdom with them as they head for Margaritaville. Mentoring partnerships offer opportunities for knowledge sharing and tapping into knowledge capital within the organization.

When I took one of my first real “big girl” jobs, I was so fortunate to have an executive leader take me under her wing. Her advice and counsel were invaluable to me. Whether or not your organization has a mentoring program, you can become a mentor.

Suggest the creation of a mentoring program within your organization. If that doesn’t fly, there’s nothing to prevent you from taking on a protégé on your own in an informal capacity. Sure, I know you’re busy, but just think how much knowledge you have and how much you could help an uncertain, insecure young team member find his way in the wild world of your organization!

How to be an effective informal mentor:

Be the guide on the side, not the sage on the stage. Remain on the sidelines and let her make her own mistakes. Just be there to help her up after she falls. Provide guidance and suggestions when asked, but don’t take it personally if she doesn’t go with your suggestions.

Give generously. Just like Zig Ziglar said, “You can have anything you want if you just help others get what they want.” If you give unselfishly of your time and knowledge, you will get so much back in return! Besides, the lagniappe (added bonus) that you get is that you become known as the trusted go-to guy/gal, which only increases your value within the organization.

Been there, done that? Share insider secrets. With your experience, surely you’ve made some mistakes in your day. Share with your mentee any landmines – and shortcuts – that you may have discovered along the way.

Mentors are good for the mentee, good for the mentor, and absolutely good for the organization. If you were fortunate and blessed to have someone who took you under their wing, the best way you can honor that person is by taking a mentee under your wing. Don’t pay them back, but rather, pay it forward.

Comment below:

What great experiences have you had with a mentor?

Who is in your life that could learn from you?

Jennifer Ledet, CSP, is a leadership consultant and professional speaker (with a hint of Cajun flavor) who equips leaders from the boardroom to the mailroom to improve employee engagement, teamwork, and communication. In her customized programs, leadership retreats, keynote presentations, and breakout sessions, she cuts through the BS and talks through the tough stuff to solve your people problems.

For more resources on leadership and employee engagement, be sure to sign up for our monthly Ezine and you will receive our report: “7 of Your Biggest People Problems…Solved.”

Quick links

Follow Us