If you own your own business or consulting firm — or if you’re thinking of becoming an entrepreneur — you’ve got to think beyond your technical expertise to your relationship with your clients or customers. Any good entrepreneur will tell you, you can be the best in your field, but if you can’t build relationships with the people who hire you, you won’t be in business for long. Author David Maister wrote a book that I just love: The Trusted Advisor. He talks about the fact that as our relationships with our clients or customers deepen, we become more than an expert to them. We become “a trusted advisor.” Someone they look to for honesty, a sounding board, and sometimes plain old friendship. Here are some coaching tips for how you can become a trusted advisor in your own business or even working for someone else:
1. Be a better listener than talker. Entrepreneurs fail all the time because they provide clients with services they think they need, but that don’t really solve a problem or fit the situation. I recently “fired” my insurance agent because he kept trying to sell me products unrelated to what I told him I needed.
2. Be discrete. This means you don’t talk about your clients or use their names without their permission. I once overheard a cell phone call in the airport that was totally inappropriate. It was a consulting firm that was working on the campaign of a famous senator. By the time the call was over I knew all the tactics they were going to use in an upcoming election. If the senator ever got wind of it I’m sure this company would have been fired.
3. Be generous. No one likes to think they’re being gouged. Set a fair price on your product or services but know when it’s appropriate to throw in something extra or not bill for a ten minute telephone consultation. In the long run it won’t make much difference to you but it will to your customers.
4. Be someone others want to be around. People don’t buy your product or services, they buy you. There are plenty of people who can provide what you sell — why should anyone buy from you?
5. Be honest. If you’re not the best person for a particular job, recommend someone else who is. Remember the scene from Miracle on 34th Street where Santa Claus was sending shoppers to other stores? It wound up getting his store even more customers because they appreciated his honesty. Similarly, if your client or customer asks for something you think isn’t appropriate for the situation, say so rather than simply provide it in order to make the sale.
TAGS: business owners, consulting, David Maister, entrepeneurs, small business, trusted advisor
Last week I had the great pleasure of meeting Liz Cornish, a consultant to major corporations around the globe and author of a wonderful book that I highly recommend: Hit the Ground Running - A Woman’s Guide to Success for the First 100 Days on the Job. It’s a practical and immediately applicable book that’s well worth the read and the $13.60 purchase price from Amazon. If you’re transitioning into a new position you’ll find it useful even if you’re not assuming a formal leadership role.
Here are just four of the great tips Liz offers:
1. Recognize the opportunity to negotiate.
2. Don’t let naysayers distract you from your focus.
3. Tame your inner critic. If you take a hit don’t take it personally. Dust yourself off and get back into the game.
4. Maintain your sense of humor.
And here are a few more coaching tips from me for how to transition smoothly and effectively:
5. Whether you’re making a move to another department, to another role within the same department, or going to an entirely different company, develop a transition plan.
6. Keep in mind that what worked for you in the past won’t necessarily continue to work for you in your new assignment/role.
7. Take advantage of the “honeymoon” period (just about 100 days) to learn as much as you can about the company, its products, your boss’s agenda, clients, customers, and people with whom you work. In most instances, no one expects you to be the expert during this period so don’t even try.
8. Don’t underestimate the critical importance of building 360 degree relationships right off the bat. You’re going to need them.
TAGS: job transitions, Liz Cornish, new leader, new to the job
Cynthia Shapiro sent me a copy of her latest book, What Does Somebody Have to Do to Get a Job Around Here? 44 Insider Secrets that Will Get You Hired. Much like her last book, Corporate Confidential, it provides practical advice to help you get the job of your dreams. Here are just a few of her tips:
- Cover letters can cause immediate exclusion. If they’re not well-written the hiring manager won’t even look at the resume.
- Professional references are a waste of time. The law prevents previous bosses or employers from revealing much about you.
- There is a “type” who always gets the offer. That type is usually someone most like the hiring manager.
If you’re in the market for a new job I’d say this book is more than worth the $14.95 cover price (less on amazon.com) and definitely worth taking the time to read.
TAGS: Cynthia Shapiro, Interview skills, Job Search
Harry Hurt III’s Off The Shelf review in the business section of the New York Times examines Nina DiSesa’s new book called “Seducing the Boys Club: Uncensored Tactics From a Woman at the Top”. According to Hurt, DiSensa encourages women to “seduce” and “manipulate” (referred to in the book as “S&M”, catchy enough and all the better to sell books, I guess) men at work and at home.
It is sad that the same year we have a woman running seriously for President, we are still getting bad advice about how to get ahead. So here’s some good advice for women who want to position themselves for success in a leadership role:
- Make Sure Key Players Openly Support You
Ask for open and unequivocal support from the people who put you in the job. After all, their success is tied to your success.
Establish your own “Advisory Board” comprised of people inside the firm as well as external mentors. Ask politically savvy people to guide you; seek feedback about your performance and the perception of your performance at every opportunity. Renew and strengthen relationships with people in your area of expertise as well as with potential referral sources.
- Hone Your Listening Skills
Figure out what people need (both clients and colleagues) by listening closely. Then help them to get it by offering creative solutions.
When a book as silly as DiSesa’s gets reviewed by The New York Times (even though it is not a good review) it is a bad thing for women. Exposure of these “tactics” promulgates mistrust of women - think about the brouhaha about whether or not Hillary Clinton’s show of emotion was “real”. Hurt writes that he finds DiSesa’s invocation of “persistent sexual stereotypes” to be depressing; I find it depressing that the book got reviewed at all.
TAGS: Harry Hurt III, Nina DiSesa, stereotypes, The New York Times
