The pandemic has resulted in a shift in work practices; several companies have moved from the usual in-office or onsite work methods to virtual offices. In America, about 26% of employees are currently working remotely. Remote working is fantastic. Employees get to work from the comfort of their homes, while recruiters can choose from a […]
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Building rapport is the art of establishing an emotionally comfortable relationship with a person during a conversation.
When I first started as a call centre trainer, I listened to a sales team leaderâs briefing. Like many naturally talented salespeople, he couldnât explain how he was so good.
He told his team to build rapport with their customers. One recent recruit asked: âHow do we build rapport?â He replied: âBe yourself!â
I thought to myself: âWhat does that mean? There must be a way to train for this.â
I did some research on the internet and found various techniques. These are the top four which I included in the first training session of our agentsâ onboarding course.
1. Use the other personâs name
Dale Carnegie said people like nothing more than the sound of their own name. Using a personâs name can get and hold their attention very effectively. Like all games, this one has rules.
Make sure you know how to pronounce it. I work with people from all over the world. I often first see their names in written form. So I will ask them, âHow do I pronounce your name?â No one wants to hear someone mispronounce their name, and they will appreciate that you have taken the trouble to say it correctly.
Donât overuse it. The classic stereotype of the âslimy sales guyâ uses a customerâs name at the end of every sentence. Use the personâs name at the start of the conversation, and then at points where you want her to pay special attention. That should not be more than once or twice.
Names can be a sensitive topic. In the English-speaking world, using first names with complete strangers is considered normal. In the Czech Republic, itâs still common to use âMr.â/âMrs.â and a surname. Be careful to fit in with whatâs normal for their culture, or you could be seen as disrespectful.
2. Question, answer, comment (QAC)
When two people talk for the first time, they often ask each other questions.
At a conference, you might ask: âWhat do you think of the event?â
When your partner replies, respond with a comment before asking the next question. Hereâs an example:
âWhat do you think of the event?â
âItâs not what I expected. I was hoping there would be more presentations.â
âReally? What aspect of XYZ are you interested in?â
The comment, âReally?â shows you are interested in her answer.
Two points to note: your comment needs to be appropriate to the answer, and you should not use the same comment for every answer, otherwise, you will sound like a bored telemarketer.
3. Something in common
Finding something in common with the other person is a good rapport-building technique. If you are talking to someone, you are in the same physical or virtual environment.
You could ask a question or comment about the event you are both attending.
You could comment about the signal quality of the video conference call you are on.
If you meet face to face, you could do the classic British thing and talk about the weather!
You could also volunteer some personal information, such as mentioning your children or pets. People love to respond with a similar comment of their own. Suddenly, you find that you both have teenage sons or Jack Russell terriers. You have something in common to talk about!
4. Humour
This is the most effective, but the riskiest way to build rapport. Humour is usually culturally specific. What makes one person laugh could leave another person cold, or even get you a fist in the face.
I wait for the other person to make the first joke, to gauge what works for her.
If youâre going to make a joke, donât make a joke at the expense of anyone you are talking to.
I know someone who was talking to the managing director of another company. He made a humorous comment about salespeople. The managing director had spent the first 20 years of his career in sales.
You may think that self-deprecatory humour is a safe option, but in some cultures, making jokes about yourself is seen as a sign of insecurity and weakness.
Start by watching other people and how they build rapport.
Watch what other people do in meetings or conversations. Watch TV or films where people have conversations. Police dramas are great since police officers usually try to build rapport with witnesses and suspects who they interview.
Start actively practicing by trying one technique at a time in conversations. Watch how your conversational partners react, and take that as feedback.
I used a practice activity where every new trainee had to ask the other trainees five questions to get to know each other. They had to use rapport-building techniques. Fifteen minutes after the exercise kicked off, the classroom sounded like a party!
If you go to a networking event, prepare four or five simple questions and go around the room and try to talk to everyone, using the rapport-building techniques. See how they react.
I love hearing how people get on when they use these techniques, what works for them and what doesnât. Send me a message and let me know how you got on!
Part One: Data Strategy Is More Important than Ever in an Age of AI.
This will be a multiple-part series on data strategy and how it is the precursor to data management and data governance.
Firms often skip many essential steps to creating a data strategy favoring data lineage/governance, usually for regulatory compliance rather than creating a holistic yet integrated vision for data. While practicality is always good, it can be at the bane of getting the most out of the firm’s data over time. When a data strategy does not guide data governance, this keeps data governance in a defensive position in general; it is a big mistake that keeps data governance in the basement of the organization, being perceived as a cost center and not the revenue and monetization driver that data governance can be.
Let’s start with what a data strategy is and why your organization needs one. Then we will discuss in future articles how data governance needs a tighter connection to strategy.
Data strategy and how I like to think about it is a sharp vision for how your data is organized and turned into knowledge throughout the organization.
There is data, information, and knowledge. Each of these has some organization of data and planned use cases. I like this pyramid or hierarchy paradigm for data strategy. As you go higher, it’s about generating insights and improving the quality of decisions based on clean fit-for-purpose quality data.
Some key considerations in your data strategy, and I will not prescribe the answers to these considerations here:
1) How do you define quality data
2) Who gets to move data and to where?
3) Is there a planned level of data duplication, or is it, as they say, the “Wild West” with replication all over the place?
4) Do we want to have one version of the truth or multiple versions of the truth? What are the risks and benefits of each?
5) Are we using an ETL process or ELT in the age of big data
6) What types of data models are we using? Logical layers (star Schemas) no SQL, blob storage?
7) Are we using open gardens or data lakes, or a pond approach?
8) How do we define our data fabric at the firm?
9) What newer tools do we use for moving data. Are we using AI-based tools (RPA, etc.)?
10) Who can access PII or NPII data, and how do we create highly secured data zones?
11) How many self-service analytics tools do we allow? Do we need both PowerBI and Tableau?
12) Do we have an on-prem cloud approach or a full-on cloud data strategy?
13) Where do AI and cognitive technologies get their data
14) Do we have transparency in business rules and algorithms that drive our business?
15) How do we monetize our data, and at what point in the data lifecycle?
16) How many customer keys or unique identifiers do we carry?.
17) What is the role of generative AI?
18) How do we resolve the identities of both prospects and customers?
19) Who owns the data Do we have producers and consumer-defined roles?
20) Do we have a centralized or decentralized approach to data management, and is our organization clear about how we operate?
There is no formal data strategy if the firm doesn’t have clear answers to many of these questions. In addition, a data strategy is not a data management framework, which would come next once you have defined the strategy.
“Why is this important?” you ask. It will help you set the priorities for data governance and data management organizations (DMOs), rather than just having them fall into a project or two and perhaps only viewing them as the people who handle compliance issues or controls. Remember DMOs, enable data science, marketing automation, AI, CRM, and many other revenue-generating functions. An integrated enterprise data strategy will allow you to scale your data management and governance efforts, making the work more important and meaningful and increasing the focus on the business objectives and ROI.
I look forward to your thoughts on why you think the tail is often wagging the dog regarding data governance versus data strategy.
In our next issue, I will discuss master data management and data governance in detail.
Today, more and more employers are conducting phone interviews before inviting job candidates to an in-person meeting. With more applicants available for each opening, employers do not have the time to invest in a meeting for every candidate that simply looks good on paper.
Phone interviews make it easier to screen candidates. Some of these phone interviews may include standard questions that ask about facts, such as your experience and any specific skills you have. However, there are also employers who dive right into some of the most challenging questions, such as giving you a scenario and asking for your response and plan to handle the situation described.
As a job applicant, there are benefits and disadvantages to a phone interview. Some people are well-spoken and are great on the phone, but in person, their nervousness gets to them. Some are more comfortable speaking in person but lack personality on the phone. Under both situations, it can be a challenge when you donât have feedback that may typically appear through face-to-face contact.
Regardless of the situation, you need to put your best voice forward to leave the employer with a good impression. This may be the only shot you have at getting a step closer to securing a job offer with them. Remember that the employer may change their mind about inviting you in for an interview if you fall short of their expectations or leave a negative impression on the phone.
Note that in a phone interview, your intonation is most important in how you come across, so you should be energetic and enthusiastic and change your tone to better engage the interviewer. You should also be prepared to ask some basic questions, although save the big ones for a formal interview.
Take the tips offered here to help put your best voice forward and further advance on an opportunity to a job offer:
Phone interviews may not always be scheduled. An employer may call you to respond to your submitted cover letter and resume, and the moment you pick up the phone an interview may occur right then.
Most employers will be courteous to first ask you if this is a good time, but that does not always happen. So, if you believe there is a chance an employer may be calling, be prepared by providing a professional greeting on your voicemail or when you pick up. Also, be conscious of what the caller may hear in the background if you pick up the phone. If itâs not an appropriate time or place to talk, let it go to voicemail, but try to call back immediately when it is more appropriate for you to talk.
Since the interviewer will not see your face, all they have to work off of is the voice you present, so make sure it sounds enthusiastic and energized with confidence. Try keeping a smile on your face as you talk and be aware of your tone and pitch so you do not come off sounding monotone.
Keep a âcan doâ attitude when you talk. It will leave a more positive impression than if an employer were to hear, âI canât,â âI donât,â or âI havenât.â Also, be conscious of how you speak; avoid the âAhs,â âErrs,â and âUms.â You can come across as unsure of yourself and lacking in confidence.
Many people list their cell phone number on job applications, cover letters, and resumes, which is fine, as long as when the phone is answered you have good reception. If you are the one initiating the phone call, use a landline to avoid static or dropped calls. It’s also important to find a quiet location where you will not be disturbed or distracted.
Keep in mind points that you can use to help explain how your previous experiences or skills make you a good fit for the open position. Also, always have questions in mind to ask during the interview that show your interest and desire to work with the company. Donât forget to also keep your resume, a sheet of paper, and a pen on hand. Youâll need these items for reference or to take notes while on the call.
Interviews, whether in person or over the phone, should end with an understanding of what the next steps are. If it was not covered, be sure to ask. The employer may also view this question in a positive way that you care about this opportunity and have a desire for it.
Remember, phone interviews deserve a follow-up thank-you note or email to the individual(s) you spoke withâjust as you would do after an in-person interview.
Treat phone interviews as important as face-to-face interviews. The impression you make on the phone will also be taken into consideration when the employer is trying to decide between you and another candidate for the position.
We know how difficult it can be to ace a job interview, on the phone or in person. If you’re still not feeling confident in your interview abilities, we can help.
We’d love it if you joined our FREE community. Itâs a private, online platform where workers, just like you, are coming together to learn and grow into powerful Workplace Renegades. More importantly, we have tons of resources inside our community that can help you prepare for your next job interview.
It’s time to find work that makes you feel happy, satisfied, and fulfilled. Join our FREE community today to finally become an empowered business-of-one!
This article was originally published at an earlier date.
There are tons of compelling reasons to consider starting an e-commerce business this year. And just one of the more significant reasons is that e-commerce continues to show exceptional growth as the pandemic and lockdown regulations encouraged consumers to opt for the convenience of online shopping. And the new increasing demand is definitely here to […]
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If you love to drive, you can turn your love of being on the road into a career. There are many different jobs that involve cars and driving. Below, you will find details of some careers that could be ideal for you. Parcel Delivery If you love nothing more than jumping in any form of […]
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It is not necessary to be innovative to produce the most successful job advertisement ever. It would help if you communicated clearly and straightforwardly. Are you are looking for a simple Homeruns example of a content writer job description? Here is how to avoid the usual jargon that is used in job descriptions and make […]
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It’s a question that many people ask. It’s whether or not they are willing to take a pay cut knowing it’s a job that they like. Here’s the kicker: they are currently working a job that they don’t like but pays well. This is a bit of an issue here for many people. The money […]
The post Should You Take A Low-Paying Job That You Love…or a High-Paying Job You Don’t Like Much? appeared first on Jobacle.com.
There are typically two different situations that a job seeker with an incomplete degree can be in. Either you didn’t finish your degree and don’t plan to, or you’re currently completing it. I know job seekers in both situations and there is a great way to handle the incomplete degree scenario.
So how do you address your incomplete education on your resume?
Let’s look at both scenarios: those job seekers currently pursuing a degree, and those who’ve decided not to return to school.
I personally think it’s important to include your degree or coursework on your resume, especially when it’s related to your current or desired career field. There are two ways I would suggest tackling this:
1. List the college you went to, the program area you studied, and dates you attended school. You’re not including a degree here because one was not awarded.
2. State the university you attended, relevant courses you completed (especially if they’re related to a position you’re pursuing), and dates you attended the school.
You have to be careful when including this information on your resume. You don’t want to mislead an employer into thinking you have a degree that you don’t have. This can come back to bite you if you’re offered the position and they fact-check.
Plus, the goal here isn’t to deceive anyone into thinking that you have a degree you don’t actually have. The goal is to include any education you have receivedâwhich, in my opinion, is important to show.
You should absolutely include information about pursuing a degree on your resumeâespecially if the position requires whatever degree or certification you’re pursuing. There are two great ways to handle including this information on your resume:
1. State the college you’re attending, degree you’re pursuing, your area of study, current GPA (if 3.0 or higher) and include your anticipated graduation date; this is very important if your graduation date is within the next 12 months.
2. List the university you’re attending, degree you’re pursuing, area of study, current GPA (if 3.0 or higher), and the words In Progress. This works well if you’re still going to be in school for a couple of years.
If the degree or certification is a requirement for the opportunity and it has been recently obtained or will soon be completed, I recommend putting your education information at the top of the resume.
If the degree or education you have isn’t required or directly related to the position, put it at the end of the resume. This is also the case if you want to share with the employer that you have some education but you don’t want to advertise that you didn’t complete your education.
No matter if you’re a college dropout or a current college student, your resume can look complete and professional with these two strategies!
Need more help writing your resume? We’re here for you!
We’d love it if you joined our FREE community. Itâs a private, online platform where workers, just like you, are coming together to learn and grow into powerful Workplace Renegades. More importantly, we have tons of resources inside our community that can help you write your resumeâthe right way.
It’s time to find work that makes you feel happy, satisfied, and fulfilled. Join our FREE community today to finally become an empowered business-of-one!
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Itâs exciting, no doubt about it. Your expertise, hard work, and perseverance paid off. You got the big promotion you were working toward. Then, along with exuberance, reality sets in with a bit of nerves for this new challenge. Now you have to deliver.
Even though promotions are exhilarating, they can also leave recipients uneasy about the change. Going from a position where you had proven yourself into a position with some inherent uncertainty will put a knot in the most confident stomachs.
Oftentimes, the easiest kind of promotion is where youâre promoted into a new environment with a new team to work with. That is like a clean slate. Much harder can be the transition within a business unit. Not to mention, the move from peer to boss can definitely be a minefield. Like it or not, we create an identity at work and many of our co-workers identify us with our role. Change our role or give us more responsibility, and people around us sometimes have difficulty adapting. There are also occasions when the person promoted has difficulty adjusting.
Letâs take a look at some of the steps the newly promoted can take to ensure a smooth, effective transition.
Embrace the newness and recognize your stakeholdersâthose affected by your work and your teamâs work. Even if you are working with some of the same people, there is a good chance you have new stakeholders or new relationships with stakeholders. Meet with them and listen to their feedback. From employees to suppliers to customers to your boss, they will let you know whatâs going well and what needs improvement from their perspectives.
Note the emphasis on listening. You donât need to promise the world just because youâre in a new role. You are there to gather their feedback so you can ensure expectations are met. You will learn a lot when you actively listen and these people will notice your engagement.
Your promotion was a competitive process. Your boss saw something in you that persuaded them to give you this opportunity. There is almost always a learning curve to your new position, but during the transition, put together a plan for yourself and your role going forward. You bring a skill set, expertise, and a new perspective. These are all ways you can add value.
Determine 30-, 90-, and 180-day milestones about what you are going to learn and how you will proceed in making positive contributions. Utilize the SMART principle for goal-setting (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-Bound). The promotion is not the high water mark. You have greater things in store.
Be as transparent as possible about your goals and expectations. This communication should be the case up and down the chain of command, and you have to actively invite feedback and demonstrate a willingness to listen to it.
Once you have developed your plan and milestones, meet with your supervisor to discuss them. If you have not worked closely with this person before, it may be helpful to meet regularly, at least while you get your feet wet. Get to know his or her expectations and communication preferences. See to it that youâre both on the same page strategically and tactically.
The same holds true if you have any employees reporting to you. They should be aware of the direction you want them going in, and they should know how you prefer to communicate. Share your goals and plans. Research has shown that we are more successful at working toward goals and implementing new habits when we communicate them to others. We allow people to hold us accountable. In a team environment, there is no other way to move the needle.
Finally, you may be asking, âWhy so much emphasis on communication preferences?â Relationships at work function much better when the individuals involved have clear understandings. This becomes even more important in workplaces with flexible schedules and working arrangements, different communication media available, and where teams are distributed and function in a virtual environment. Sending an urgent email to your boss when she only checks email once a day can be useless.
Taking the time to understand these important details can ultimately pave the way for cohesiveness and long-term success after your promotion. Good luck!
We know how tricky it can be to navigate a promotion at work. If you’re struggling to adjust to your new role, we can help.
We’d love it if you joined our FREE community. Itâs a private, online platform where workers, just like you, are coming together to learn and grow into powerful Workplace Renegades.
Join our FREE community today to finally become an empowered business-of-one!
This article was originally published at an earlier date.
Reading LinkedIn, you might think that the average office is a caring, sharing environment. Everyone adopts a nurturing attitude towards their colleagues. Managers give their staff kind words of encouragement even when they make expensive mistakes.
Perhaps your experience was different? Mine was.
Iâve worked with organizations where positivity and empathy were not among the corporate values.
Encounters with managers in the military, law enforcement, accounting firms, sales teams, and outsourced call centres can be bruising experiences.
So why would anyone tell a Navy chief petty officer, a tax inspector, or a Russian call centre manager that using positive and encouraging language might be a good idea Why would they believe it?
Positive language makes working a more pleasant experience.
Staff are more likely to be productive, stay with the company instead of move on, and perhaps even persuade their friends to work there.
The financial benefits of increased productivity are obvious.
Reducing staff turnover means less time and effort spent recruiting and training replacements, and fewer periods of sub-par productivity from partially trained employees.
Most companies have ârecommend a friendâ schemes. The savings can be substantial. A UK company offers a GBP 1,000 bonus for staff who successfully recruit their friends. Most recruitment firms charge three monthsâ salary for the same thing. This could easily amount to two or three times the bonus, even for quite junior positions.
The frequent use of negative language has the opposite effect.
Resentful staff have less reason to be productive and so earn less for the company.
Resentful staff are more likely to leave at the first opportunity. HR will need to recruit and train more new hires to replace them. This costs more and has a negative impact on productivity.
Resentful staff are more likely to tell their friends and relatives how bad the company is to work for, so dissuading people from working there.
Positive language need not be sickly sweet. It has four distinct characteristics:
Surprisingly little. Here are some examples of negative phrases people use, and their more positive substitutes.
âYou didnât…â
This looks back to the past. It says what the person didnât do without offering alternatives. It makes it clear that the fault lies with the listener. Suppose we replace this with âNext time, try…â? This looks forward. It doesnât point the finger and it gives the listener an alternative course of action.
âYou should/must…â
This is very forceful and puts the blame firmly on the listener. How would the listener react to âIt would be better if you…â or maybe âWe should/must…â? The first option presents an alternative course of action. If the issue is related to legal obligations or safety requirements, then saying âWe should/must…â takes away the sting by emphasizing that everyone has to do it.
âYou didnât understand…â
As a trainer, I try to avoid saying this. If my trainee doesnât understand, then thatâs not her fault, itâs my fault. I didnât present it properly. I prefer to say: âI didnât tell you properly/clearly enough…â
These phrases are guaranteed to lead to fights and divorce proceedings.
âYes, but…â
This says: âI have listened to you. It doesnât matter.â Try replacing the word âbutâ with âand.â Youâll find that the conversation moves along faster and with less antagonism.
âYou should have…â
This focuses on the past and the personâs âmistake.â It shows no respect for the listener and blames him for not having your superior knowledge. A more positive substitute might be: âNext time, try…â That conveys the same message, but looks forward to getting it right in the future.
âWhy…?â
âWhyâ questions often sound like accusations. We all remember teachers asking us why we didnât do our homework. âWhyâ questions often put people into âexcuse givingâ mode. They answer the question with excuses rather than properly thought-out root causes. Coaches recommend replacing âWhyâ with âWhat…?â transforming the question âWhy didnât you do your homeworkâ into âWhat prevented you from doing your homework?”
âCalm down!â
Saying this usually has the opposite effect! It tells your listener that you do not care about their emotions. You just want them to stop expressing them. If you really want to help a person become less emotional, try telling him, âI want to help you, I need you to tell me what the problem is.â If the person shouts, itâs more effective if you take them aside and let them vent. Often, once the person has expressed their anger, they can speak more rationally and will apologize for their outbursts.
Think of the conversations you have had recently.
How many negative phrases have you heard? What effect did they have on you?
How many negative phrases have you used yourself? Now that you know more about positive and negative language, how would you conduct these conversations differently?
Once youâve thought about these questions, get in touch and tell me your thoughts!
When youâre training your staff, your choice of language can have a massive effect on their learning. To find out more about how to train staff, please read my posts âTraining for Non-Trainersâ and âExplaining How Things Work: How To Do It And Why It Matters.â
You cannot choose a career based on what others are choosing or where their interests lie. You have to make an individual decision. Your career choice decides where you will be in a few years and how your life will shape up. Therefore, it must be a well-thought-out process. Learning becomes a fun activity if […]
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