Are You Externally Focused?

Recently I have been catching back up on some old standby ‘life lesson’ nuggets. The ones I have been staring at recently share a common thread: the importance of being externally focused. This is one theme that is essential to being successful- both personally and professionally.

I wanted to share three quotes that help capture the essence:

“The tougher the negotiation, the more critical it is to understand that if
someone in the room has to feel okay, it is not you. If someone has to
feel not-okay, that is you.” - Jim Camp

“People listen to you for their reasons, not yours.” - Peter Drucker

“Great leaders understand the important role servant leadership plays in
helping others realize their potential.” – Dan Sanders

These can apply across all aspects of life. Your colleagues, your family, your customers, your partners, even your competitors.

Ask yourself:

1. Do you make others feel important?
2. Do you build their vision, their self esteem?
3. Do you treat others with respect?
4. Do you practice sound principles- return e-mail or phone messages, follow up on requests?

You can make the impact today. You can build customers for life. You can build enduring relationships. You can build a network of raving fans.

The rewards are great.

Know What Your Customer Wants

So I was at home this morning, and my son (all 20 months of him) was pointing at babbling at the TV. I am thinking to myself, ‘he wants to watch the TV, and there is too much of that already’.

Then I realized as he played his air guitar, that he really wanted the digital music. That request I could grant.

I tried kids music, bluegrass, top 40 hits… all to no avail, as the word he does have down pat is ‘no’.

What in the end did he want? Reggae.

I knew we had listened to it in the past. I knew he liked it. But did I know that is what he wanted to hear at that time? Did I know that it was this music that would make the difference? It was about the right music, at the right time, in the right room that made the difference.

Do you know what you customer wants? When they want it? Where they want it?

You should.