"People-centered is not the same thing as being a people person."
states Dr. Frank I. Lutz, author of "Win - the Key Principles to Take Your Business from Ordinary to Extraordinary." This article is inspired by his book. When Frank talks about being people-centered, he does not necessarily refer to the kind of people we like to hang out with in our leisure time. He does not mean people who know how to "connect" with us and who "get" us. Yes that is part of it but Frank states there is so much more to it.
Dr. Luntz states "Bill Clinton provides a perfect example of what it means to be people-centered." For our former US President, networking wasn't just a matter of passing out business cards, collecting those of others, and making the most of the time at the event before calling it a night. Bill Clinton had a habitual practice of coming home each night and meticulously recording each conversation in a growing library of index cards. (Sounds like he could surely have used a mobile CRM system...)
He committed to memory not just where someone worked or what someone did, but who they were. So the next time he saw them, asking "How have you been?" wasn't just an empty formality; it was loaded with understanding that allowed him to meet that person's individual need to be known and valued. No matter who we are, we all have that basic need for connection.
Consider someone you met with recently, did he just seem to remember you? Did he treat you like an old friend? Dr. Luntz states that Bill Clinton did it to him, and Frank even worked against him politically. The lesson: do not underestimate the simple power that recall has on an individual. Every person wants to be not just noticed, but memorable. In a world that seems to spin so fast we don't have a chance to record those personal insights, we do need to have a system, a process to identify what is important to another person. So today, having a mobile, user friendly CRM solution that is easily assessable helps you Win at business relationship development.
The following is from his first Winning Principle: People-Centeredness...
Are you People-Centered
Ask yourself the following five questions. If your answer to four of the five is yes, you exhibit the essential attributes of a people-centered person.
"The reason people who can connect have such a strong ability to win others over lies in one word: respect. When someone affords us their undivided time and attention, we feel respected, appreciated, and significant.", Dr. Luntz states.
The ability to read others and "walk in their shoes" - knowing what people really want and how they will react is equivalent of being able to predict the future.
Consider investigating the book "Win -the Key Principles to Take your Business from Ordinary to Extraordinary" by Dr. Frank I. Luntz.
Topics: Customer Experience Improvement Compelling Value Creation Extend Reach and Influence Customer Communications
