What do you want to accomplish when you walk thru the door?
Do you ask yourself what you want to accomplish when you walk into a room? What is it you want the world to know about you? What first impression are you creating?
Often, when I ask one of these questions to a client I receive a puzzled look. For myself, I seek approachability combined with an “I am in charge” presence. It projects with a confident walk, a smile on my face and contemporary and understated dress that connects me to the world.
How about you?
Recently I had a program that could have gone a lot smoother. Though some of what happened was out of my control, following is what I learned from the experience in the form of dos and don’ts:
It is easy to get caught up in issues not related to team objectives. Often, in teams, we get caught up in differences of opinions between members. People then begin to separate because folks are taking sides. As the leader, you must stay out of the drama and let the parties involved resolve their differences. It is natural for team members to expect you to solve the problem, instead, insist they resolve it themselves. They may or may not come to a resolution but if they don’t, they may just agree to disagree which is fine.
Many companies go through changes which may mean laid off co-workers or staff with changed assignments which can leave long-term team members anxious. The best thing to do is to wish them well. Let them know how much you have enjoyed working together and if you are close to the person, give contact permission. Always maintain a positive dialog. Someday, it could be you who is affected by company changes.
It can be challenging when you are on the phone with someone who struggle to get to the point. It is important to let the person finish before you ask any questions. However, if you sense the person is rambling, give them at least a minute and a half to finish or when there is a pause, step in with a specific question. Take notes when they are talking and really listen. Ask a question that will hopefully steer the conversation toward the point. It is ultimately up to you to help ramblers be more succinct by using their words to ask specific questions.
The number one lesson I learned from my mother is to always do more than you are asked and offer to handle things you prefer not doing. My mom came to this country only speaking Cantonese and she was shy. When my mom needed to work for financial reasons after raising five girls, she did. Mom ended up being the number one producer in her factory line. To this day, when situations are moving faster than expected, I remember my mom always rising to the occasion to do what was necessary to make a assignment work. Thanks to my mom, I discovered that nothing is impossible!
Always begin with the end result or what it is that you want the audience of one or hundreds to walk away with. Is it an action item? Do you want to change an opinion or just ask them to consider your topic? Support your speech with relevant facts that resonate and always know what the audience wants from you. Think of the end result as a headline for the opening statement. Then, like an article, discuss the details that validate your theme. Once you begin to speak using this outline, your listeners will buy into your point.
Many companies go through changes which may mean laid off co-workers or staff with changed assignments which can leave long-term team members anxious. The best thing to do is to wish them well. Let them know how much you have enjoyed working together and if you are close to the person, give contact permission. Always maintain a positive dialog. Someday, it could be you who is affected by company changes.
