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Something vital to the advancement of your career
This afternoon I was talking to a friend about the advancement of her career. She is entering a new profession, and has the qualities and attitude to be a great success. As we were talking, she asked if there was any advice I would give as she looked to plunge forth to her new horizon. I immediately replied, “Make sure the person you report directly to is your advocate and cheerleader.” That makes sense, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, it is not always so.
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Good communication means less resentment
“What we have here is a failure to communicate”
– Cool Hand Luke
According to Webster’s dictionary, negotiation is defined as “a discussion with an intent to reach an agreement”. Notice that is doesn’t say, “a shouting match” or “temper tantrum festival”. The reality is, that most effective negotiators are clear, consistent, calm communicators who possess the “Four F’s”. That means they are firm, friendly, frank, and fair.
A “must do” for good relationship management
I received a call at 3:00am the day before Mother’s Day: It was my sister, and she informed me that Mom had passed away peacefully just a few minutes before. The news was not unexpected. She was 90, and suffering from lymphoma.
The next day I was approached by a fellow usher at our church service. Her name was Eileen, and she wanted to express her sympathy for my Mom’s passing. I said thank you, and considered that to be the end of the conversation. It wasn’t. With intense interest and her eyes sparkling, she asked me, “What was she like?”
Overcoming Inertia: Need a jump start?
I think locomotives are fascinating: Here are one or two engines pulling a string of heavy cars seemingly a mile long. (I’ve never measured it). I enjoy watching a train begin to move. It is a great example of overcoming inertia.
In leadership and building teams, it is also important to overcome inertia and build momentum. The leaders that succeed in this area are good at putting “wins on the board” quickly.
It all starts with connection
If you were reading my last blog post (4/22) on relationship management, you may be saying to yourself, “That’s nice to get to know people well find out all about them, but I don’t have time. I am in retail, and the more transactions I have, the better it is for my job” OK. Makes sense. How can we compensate for this?Read More…