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Tips
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If you really want to be persuasive, focus on asking good questions in a discussion with someone and then be quiet and listen to their answers. We tend to place more value on our own conclusions than what others emphatically tell us.
- When you are listening, stop thinking about how to respond to what the other person is saying and stay in the moment. It's easier said than done, but you will find that you WILL have your chance to respond.
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Dan Pink's recently published book, To Sell is Human, has been a hit, in large part due to the realization that everyone sells something, from your ideas to products or services. As many of you know, I do a lot of work on business development strategies helping sales organizations improve their effectiveness. One of the clients I work with is a biotech company, and our focus has had little to do with the services or products that they offer to clients since they already have that knowledge. Instead, we refine the skills to create value by providing insights, helping clients to see unintended consequences, illuminating new perspectives on opportunities, and demonstrating capability to solve problems. These are the kinds of things all of us need to do, whether you are selling yourself in an interview, selling an idea to the board of directors, or pitching a big deal. These are skills that we all need. Last month, my blog post for Harvard Business Review, "Would Customers Pay for Your Sales Calls" was featured on the HBR Management Tip of the Day. The simple (but not easy) techniques that I offered up in that article may help you to create the kind of value that sets you apart from the competition.
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A Slice of Life Balance
- Try to spend a little time outdoors, whether it be the mountains, beach, forest, or by a lake. Take it in. It is surprising how good it will make you feel.
- Find something to laugh about each day. Bonus if you can share that laugh with someone else.
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