Sales Man Up
Remembering People Are People
Goodness is about character - integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage, and the like. More than anything else, it is about how we treat other people. - Dennis Prager
Have you ever sat down for a meal in a restaurant, and called the server by their name, and watched their face light up as a smile formed on their lips ? They were acknowledged as a human being , and not just a means to our culinary end . My wife and I experienced this phenomenon when we met Teena at our local Denny’s. At the time, our Saturday morning routine included going to breakfast after yoga. When we first met Teena, she seemed serious, even stern; and burdened by the weight of the world. Now, after months of seeing her, acknowledging her, and encouraging her ; we are more like friends instead of clients. She even swapped areas with another server last week so she could have our table. Why ? Because people want to be seen as people - human beings who are worthy of value not because of what they DO FOR US, but simply because they exist.
How easy it is to be consumed with the task at hand, that we forget about the human hands that are delivering that cup of coffee to us; or processing our sample order; or even manufacturing our products. We can become machine -like in our approach to sales and business, forgetting that there is a large host of people who daily expend their life energy in order to secure our success. Everyone responds to genuine kindness. It is a universal language that supersedes all barriers, and embraces its recipients with acceptance and a feeling of worthiness. Why is that important? I believe that we were created to connect with other human beings as well as to the natural order of the world around us. Our gifts , talents, and skills are best realized when we are using them to help others; because it is in serving others that we truly become the best version of ourselves.
There is a universal law that permeates the world that we live in, called the Law of Reciprocity. Some call it the principle of Sowing and Reaping. Some refer to it as Kharma . It is basic Cause and Effect. The core value of this law is based on the elementary truth that what we plant in the ground is what grows. If we plant corn seed , then corn grows. If we plant beans, then beans grow. If we plant respect, acceptance, understanding, and kindness ; then guess what grows ? Respect, acceptance, understanding and kindness. Looking a person in the eyes, smiling at them , and acknowledging their innate value is planting good seed. Being empathic towards our customer service team, gate keepers , clients, and fellow teammates qualifies as planting good seed. These actions will yield a harvest that cannot be contained! Do you want to live a fruitful, productive , and fulfilling life ? Treat people like ...people !
Empathy is about standing in someone else's shoes, feeling with his or her heart, seeing with his or her eyes. Not only is empathy hard to outsource and automate, but it makes the world a better place. - Daniel H. Pink
Empathy is one of our greatest tools of business that is most underused. - Daniel Lubetzky
