Let’s say you are about to make a phone call to a new client called Jeremy. You’ve never met him, but you knew a Jeremy before and he was not a nice person. They are not the same person, but you can’t help but think about how rude the other Jeremy was. You get on …
We work a lot within the insurance industry and this story from Matt Fox’s Persuasion Theory blog, really resonated: A man goes to the doctor and complains that every time he touches his foot he feels excruciating pain. The doctor writes down a note and asks if it hurts anywhere else. The man then demonstrates …
For those of us working in service industries, we know that it’s crucial to be trusted, appreciated and go-to person when working with our clients. But how do we avoid delays in recovery, job search and return to work that can arise just because someone says they need time. What is useful is to explore …
The main objection we get around listening is that it takes too long! It’s true that simply telling someone what to do is quicker – but since there is about one in ten chance that what you say is actually being heard, perhaps the maths doesn’t add up the way you may hope. Great listening …
Our success isn’t about us. It’s about working with others to get THEM outcomes and solve THEIR problems. We achieve our own success as a result of that. That means less about you, more about them. It means listening to understand and show curiosity, not listening to speak and tell. It means stepping into their …
Professor Sir Mansel Aylward, Director of the Centre for Psychosocial and Disability Research and Professor of Public Health Education in the School of Medicine at Cardiff University talks about “On the Front Foot”. The ability to get along with, and influence, others is the single most important skill in business and in life. This book …
Our brains rely on shortcuts that simplify a hectic world. One shortcut is: “if there’s a reason, it must be valid”. When we hear or read “because” or “that’s why” it signals to our brain – hey, all good, there’s a reason. A famous study sent a researcher to a library with a copy machine. …
You’ve tried to do the right thing – you’ve listened and now it’s your turn. You’re giving advice or instructions and now it’s the other person who isn’t hearing you! What on earth is happening and why is getting through taking so long. Here are the top three reasons that others might switch off. Unclear …
Imagine you’re late for a job interview. Your interview. Everyone is waiting for you … And you have forgotten to charge your phone. It’s dead and you’re in an unfamiliar location. As you make your way down what you hope is the right street, it starts to rain. There goes your chance of making a …
The line up at the coffee counter was out the door. We were all after our starter fuel for the day. Just in front was one of those big orders that was being taken back to the office – a solid mix of macchiato, long black, mochaccino and the like. As I was waiting I …
