While most people don’t describe themselves as “difficult” (although some actually find pleasure in doing so!) difficult behavior can nonetheless come from anyone, anytime, anywhere; we all have the capacity to express it. What constitutes difficult or prickly behavior is very subjective,shaped by our personal perceptions. We each define individually what annoys or frustrates us;…
Assume the Next Message You Send Will Be Misunderstood In working with companies and organizations to assist them in improving customer and workplace relationships, I find that misunderstandings are one of the leading factors that cause people to lose respect, trust, cooperation and the derailing of relationships. The problem starts with the fact that there…
In my workshops and coaching on presentation skills, one of the key areas we focus on is how to deliver a presentation to persuade, influence and motivate others. Based on my book, “Present with Power, Punch and Pizzazz” and over 20 years of working with companies on presentation skills and personal presence, I have put…
One of the key ways to improve customer and workplace relationships, is by showing appreciation. Here is a list of 21 ways that have been used by attendees at my presentations and workshops on building a more positive, productive and profitable organization. Awesome Acts Appreciated Anywhere “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch,…
One of the key ingredients necessary to build stronger customer and workplace relationships involves keeping your employees engaged, motivated and happy. If your employees aren’t happy; employee engagement, productivity, and customer satisfaction will be diminished. In my teambuilding workshops one of the first things we do is to find out what employees want. Below is…
Boost your “connect-ability” with others by being synchronized, or “in sync.” This is the ability to tune in to others, to create a rhythm of similar movements and behavioral cues that orchestrate a wonderful harmony. Being in sync means having rapport; it means playing up your similarities to establish a stronger connection, to create that…
In my workshops and training sessions over the last 20+ years on improving customer and workplace relationships I have found that there are 50 key ingredients that play a major factor in everything from employee engagement, leadership and team building to customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and sales. To establish excellent customer and workplace relationships and…
“As a speaker, trainer, coach and consultant helping companies and organizations to improve customer and workplace relationships one question I always get is, “What are some ways to deal with complaints?” The word “complaint” is loaded with negative connotations. But in fact, complaining does offer an opportunity to set things right. According to Sandra Crowe,…
“Good communicators are open to my ideas. They respect me. They know who they are and what makes them ‘tick’ and they want to know the same about me. They foster my growth while attending to their own. They are proud of their accomplishments and of mine-for our mutual benefit.” A Get Along seminar participant…
In my workshops and coaching focusing on improving customer and workplace relationships I find that one of the major issues of concern in companies and organizations is workplace bullying. To build a more positive, productive and profitable organization this issue must not be overlooked. Companies and organizations that dismiss or avoid confronting workplace bullying usually…
During a recent teambuilding and communication workshop I delivered one of my clients stated, “50% of all our obstacles to success center around team dynamics. Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” In other words you can have the best plans, strategies and initiatives, however if everyone is not team oriented, working well together and getting along,…
Positive self-talk expands your power; negative self-talk restricts it. Your personal power dramatically shapes your professional, personal, and social destinies, all with multiplying impact. Take the situation of entering a large ballroom full of unfamiliar faces. Immediately, if fearful thoughts take hold, you can talk yourself right out of a positive experience and the potential…
One of the most important keys to success in your personal and professional life will be determined by your ability to get along with others. Below is a quiz I provide to people at my workshops as well as to those I coach. Take the quiz and see how well you do. Also have your…
90% of the success of any presentation can be attributed to planning. As Mark Twain said, “It even takes three weeks to prepare a good ad lib speech.” The problem with most presenters is they don’t spend enough time researching, getting to know the audience and going over and over the presentation until it becomes…
As we increasingly live in the fast lane, a few road signs might be useful to guide us along the way-words warning us when good connections are being overlooked, threatened, or endangered. Some possibilities might include: Yield to Connection, Stop to Connect, or Use Caution … Relationships at Work! Following these signs could make the…
In a recent survey titled, why do people give up on your company? it was noted that 68% quit because of an attitude of indifference toward the client by the owner, manager or employee. This indifference comes about because we tend to forget that to stay employed and succeed in our business or organization we…
Assume the Next Message You Send Will Be Misunderstood There are over 600 or more words in the English language with 10 or more meanings. In addition, our body language and tone of voice can also be percieved in many ways. To make sure that people don’t misundertand us and they walk away with the…
If you are trying to gain cooperation from your staff, persuade or influence a client or co-worker, close a sale, make the right impression, ace an interview, or convince an audience, you must first connect with them. Below is a checklist of the active ingredients in creating lasting connections. How many of these are you…
People are not necessarily difficult but different. In other words if someone sees things different than us we might think they are “difficult.” To deal with these “difficult” people follow these rules: Realize that people who are angry feel justified in their anger -Whether it’s a perception or reality there is “real” reason for their…
You don’t have to be a professional comedian to be funny. You just have to have a willingness to look at the lighter side of life. Here are some ideas from the book, “Get Along with Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere” by Arnold Sanow and Sandra Strauss for adding a little humor to your rapport: Use humor…