TOUGH NUTS
QI pray each time before making any presentation that I will not meet any nasty people who are likely to make my life difficult. They are the ones who are usually loud, unreasonable and rude.
Being a short-tempered person myself, I can quickly get into a lousy mood when people give me trouble and this usually spoils everything. What advice can you give to help me deal with this? — Lousy Mood
AExcept for those who are really a pain, there are many who simply have a bad day because of fatigue, stress, or simply experiencing something that really bothers them.
When you are compassionate and understanding to these people, your outlook will completely change towards them. You will be more positive and accepting regardless of how they behave towards you. You can be certain that onlookers will respect you for the ability to hold yourself so well.
Bottom Line:
Notwithstanding the above, there are a number of points to consider when you are in such a situation.
At the top of the list is to display a calm and polite disposition, which will have a calming effect on you and them too.
In the event you should encounter one who is really nasty, tell yourself not to allow him to make you angry. When the moment has passed, pull the person to somewhere private and calm him down too, even if you have to apologise (although it’s not your fault). It shows how professional you are. You can never know that he may even turn out to be among your best customer!
Powerful Questions:
• What kind of tough situations could occur to you?
• What is a more empowering way of perceiving them? • What will you do to stay cool and calm?
• What will handling them well do for you?
COACHING THE RIGHT WAY
QDespite knowing about coaching, I’m not getting much success using this method to lead my people. I facilitate, I ask questions, listen more, talk less, hold them accountable plus many other actions, but the sales results still don’t show and neither has the calibre of my sales team improved.
This is frustrating as I have not been able to take my sales department to the next level after having spent 10 years here as their sales manager. Can you shed some light about my case? — Hit A Wall
AOne important rule on coaching is it works well when people are receptive to it. It’s therefore not something that can be applied across the board indiscriminately. “To want to be coached” is a choice, and also a privilege accorded to those who want it. Only then they will put their hearts and souls into it.
From this perspective, it’s appears you don’t have an issue with coaching skills but more of knowing its conditions for it to work well.
Bottom Line:
Communicate with your team on what coaching is, what it entails and what is required of them to succeed. The key to the message is they have to take greater ownership of the goal, while you take ownership of the coaching process.
Once agreement and commitment are finalised, then coaching can be launched. However, bear in mind that there are some key differences between personal and group coaching. Apart from keeping to a maximum of 8 members in group coaching, the demands on the coach is greater as he has more people to coach. Thus, a different skill set is required and it is best you check out whether you are competent enough to do this.
Finally, free yourself from other work if you are serious about taking your team to the next level.
Powerful Questions:
• What is your vision and goal for your sales department? • How ready are your people to be coached?
• How do you give more focus to your team to take them to the next level?
• How do you prepare yourself well for this coaching mission?