When Last Is First

Blog, Endless Referrals7 Comments

In Liz Lynch’s excellent book, Smart Networking: Attract A Following In Person And Online, she points out that when first meeting someone, the typical person is forming their first impressions of the other by silently assessing:  Is this person interesting? Is she someone I should get to know better? Does she have knowledge or skills that…

Talk 25% – Listen 75%

Blog, Endless Referrals2 Comments

Most of us in sales have heard it said that “when you’re tellin’, you ain’t sellin’.” Very true. The key is to listen to the other person. That way you can learn about their wants, needs and desires. When teaching people how to prospect via telephone, I explain that there are actually two reasons to encourage the…

Taking Responsibility, Part Three

Blog, WWI5 Comments

In Part Two, we saw that one aspect of taking responsibility for effective communication was the realization that most people – in not focusing on understanding what you or I meant to say – will simply interpret our words based on their own belief systems. And, that despite this, it’s still up to us to…

Taking Responsibility, Part Two

Blog, WWI2 Comments

In Part One we saw that it’s important to take responsibility for things like making sure that the coffee you are pouring actually makes it into your cup as opposed to on your hand. And, we began to look at how the same holds true with conversation. I’m thinking back to an online chatroom discussion…

Taking Responsibility, Part One

Blog, WWI9 Comments

Early one morning, with no time for a Dunkin’ Donuts run, I made the two-minute drive to the Circle K, a local convenience store, and poured myself a cup of hot coffee. All of a sudden, I felt a sizzling, burning feeling. The good news was that “my cup runneth over.” The bad new was that it…

Persistent or Stubborn?

Blog, General8 Comments

A reader asks, “Bob, what is the difference between one who is persistent and one who is stubborn?”  I’d say that persistent means you keep on trying as long as you feel there is legitimately a positive result that can be obtained.  Stubborn would mean that you keep trying even when you know there is…