Secrets to Success
Secrets to Success
Increase your
Part two in a series of four
influence with styleOver this four-part series, I am sharing brief case studies so you will know how to best communicate, motivate, sell to and interact with four specific types of people who have different communication styles.
The first case study highlighted the "high achiever" behavioral style that approximately 18 percent of the population shares.
This case study highlights the "influencing" behavioral style that approximately 28 percent of the population shares.
Case study No. 2
Isabella is a person who is enthusiastic, magnetic, friendly, demonstrative and political. She enjoys socializing with others and welcomes personal dialogue about what is going on in your life as well as her own. People usually describe her as being a warm, nice person who doesn't really have any enemies.Some people have mistakenly read her enthusiasm for being "phony" or "superficial," but this is generally not the case. Isabella naturally trusts people, and can easily open up to strangers, whether traveling in an elevator with them, or welcoming them to a new environment. So her smile is sincere, as she expects people to be able to easily work together and get along, having a good time in anything she sets out to do.
When communicating with someone who is similar to Isabella, remember to adhere to the following key points when you get together for meetings or supervisory sessions:
>> Provide a warm, open and friendly environment.
>> Ask "feeling" questions in order to discover her opinions or comments on what you are talking about.
>> Put details in writing to hand to her, but focus on talking with her, and developing an open conversation and dialogue about the task at hand.
>> Let her know in some way that you like her as a person, and enjoy talking with her. (This can be accomplished through a genuine smile or indicated by the amount of time spent independently with her, or allowing her to talk with you about something she is interested in.)
>> Focus on relationships with her, not on details and information. If she likes you, she will listen to what you have to say or read what you leave behind. If she doesn't like you, she will discard what you offer, because she will have a more difficult time trusting what you have to say.
Coach's tips
Don't get caught doing the following:>> Don't be curt, short or tight-lipped.
>> Don't give one-word answers or statements. (Instead, elaborate using a story, metaphor or example to bring your point across.)
>> Don't try to control the conversation, or cut her off.
>> Don't focus solely on facts and figures. (Allow this information to be included in the written material you "refer to" and then leave this information behind for her to reference when you leave.)
If you are a sales person, and you try to cut directly to business at hand without some friendly conversation, you may find resistance at first. Just be sure that you do not take advantage of Isabella's naturally trusting nature. If you take her needs into account, and only sell her what she needs or wants, you'll have her as a customer for life! But if you sell her something that is ineffective, or not what she needed, she'll never trust you as a business professional.
Deborah Cole Micek, chief executive officer
of RPM Success Group, is a business success coach
and life strategist. Reach her at DCM@RPMsuccess.com
or (888) 334-8151.