Know your audience. You might
communicate with hundreds
of people, but you also have
to communicate one on one.
If every job is important and
you respect the person in
that job, you not only have
an obligation, but you’re
going to have a natural interest to see how they are doing
on a regular basis.
They also educate me from
time to time and help me to
do a better job. You watch
the play unfold on the field,
you look at the film, then
you meet with the player and
ask what they were thinking
and what they thought
worked and didn’t work, and
you suggest things that might
work better.
Most people respond to that
type of coaching because
you’re showing genuine
interest in what they are
doing.
Reach out to people. You have to
genuinely believe they have
something to offer. Listen very
intently to what they say, and
if you don’t understand it, ask
questions. If their perspective
is different than mine, I’m naturally curious about why.
They could be right. I want
to draw out and learn why
they are thinking the way they
are thinking so I can educate
myself. I know in my organization that on most subjects, I’m
not the smartest person.
Even in areas where I have a
deep history, the person who
is working on that as a full-time job every day, even if they
have got much less experience
than I do, they probably know
more about it than I do.
When it comes to problem
solving, you get the people
together who have the knowledge and know-how, and you
facilitate them coming up with
a solution, obviously lending
your own judgment and experience.
If you do that, there will be a
consensus developed around a
solution. Whether it’s problem
solving or how you approach a
new opportunity, you’ll come
up with a great consensus
solution. Everybody will feel
proud to be part of it.
Most people do like it when
the CEO of a company listens
to them or when their boss listens to them and takes their
input. Even if they don’t use it
precisely the way they suggested it, they include it, that’s a
great way to get people
engaged.
HOW TO REACH: Houston Technology Center, (713) 658-1750 or www.houstontech.org
