THREE FIRST STEPS TO HELP YOU LEAD AND SUCCEED

Are you about to become the new manager of a department, section, or facility? Congratulations!

(See September's blog, http://bit.ly/1W4F336)

Here are three first steps to start you toward success.

Your first step is…to stand still and breathe. Unless your new staff is doing something right this minute that can end your career today, you will accomplish more by observing than you will by risking a misstep due to your momentary lack of knowledge. Think of the adage about fools rushing in. Even if you are already familiar with the department you have not experienced its culture and dynamics from this vantage point.

Your second step is to examine your new arena. Take notes. Check the statistics, investigate what is being tracked, and how. What metrics need adjustment? Who is on your team, what are their strengths, who are your internal vendors and customers? Which areas need improvement? This is your best opportunity to make a thorough assessment of the department, the challenges, and the talent you have inherited.

Bear in mind that the staff has legitimate, time-honored reasons for their methods. What appears to be inefficient or outmoded has served a purpose in the past. So be humble, be respectful, and check your assumptions by asking questions as you move forward.

  

Step number three is to analyze your findings and create action plans based on priorities you have identified, in addition to any priorities your own manager may have outlined. You have learned what the issues are, who your ‘go to’ members are, and you have made astute observations. These three first steps have prepared you to be a successful leader.

Jeannie Newman is the founder and Chief Solutions Officer of JZN Associates, which offers a full menu of soft skill solutions to agencies, organizations, and corporations, such as motivational and informative talks, lunchtime learning sessions, half day events, and program series. 

Her personal mission is helping individuals realize their full potential through improving their Emotional Intelligence. Find out more at jznassociates.com, or connect with her on LinkedIn.

HOW TO FRUSTRATE YOUR CUSTOMER

When you are out of sync with your customer’s style of presenting, you can frustrate them and lose their confidence. The greater the mismatch, the greater the frustration. 

Have you seen the television commercial of the chameleon walking past many different colors of paint, his own color changing to match it as he goes past? There is a lesson there for us~~not that I am comparing you to a lizard, you understand. Think about it this way: Good communication involves matching one’s pace and wording with the others in the conversation. While we are in customer service mode, it’s not about us.

 

On our own time, we might wish to impress our English professor with our vocabulary of esoteric, four-syllable words, or our new manager with our command of industry jargon. Talking with the customer~~client, resident, donor~~requires a different set of skills: Social skills. Pay attention to the customer’s delivery. Is it slow and chatty? Is it fast-paced and to the point? The first one, provided you are not in a crunch situation, may enjoy chatting about the weird weather we’ve had lately. The second one’s hair is on fire, so drop the small talk and pick up the extinguisher. And you will lose credibility with the one who has a good command of technical terms if you use words like “thingamabob” or “whatchamacallit.”

Just as it helps to allow your posture to reflect a customer’s body language, it helps to allow your speech to echo their vocal patterns. Do be careful; there can be a fine line between resonating with your customer versus looking or sounding as though you are consciously copying them. If you sense that your customer is receiving the wrong message, stop your attempt.

This is all about your ability to recognize, respect, and meet your customer’s needs. We, as humans, feel comfortable with those who seem similar to us, yet have the knowledge to fix our problem. Sometimes it is important to create comfort and rapport; other times action is called for, rather than niceties. Your Emotional Intelligence will guide you in the right direction. More about that in May.

Jeannie Newman of JZN Associates is the go-to person for all  
your social skills training needs. Find her at
JZNAssociates.com, or on LinkedIn. 
JZN Associates is available for guided discussions,
workshops, or seminars. Inquire about special retainer rates.