One day my colleague Patrick’s ace executive assistant Rita gave her two-week notice out of the blue. Patrick was taken by surprise, especially since Rita wasn’t getting a significant raise in pay or benefits. Rita admitted that she was fed up because of an ongoing conflict with another colleague, Tim, who kept barking orders and demanding that she drop what she was doing whenever he needed help on his projects. Over the course of several meetings, Patrick, Rita, and Tim resolved their differences. It was a valuable lesson for Patrick, as it opened his eyes to the fact that he needed to:

Today I’d like to present my colleague Homero Herrara of Latin American Cargo as our Guest Blogger with a timely message!

A NEW YEAR`S RESOLUTION 

Another calendar year has almost gone. The unfailing yearly ritual has already started. Sounds of “Merry Christmas” and “Happy New Year” echo through the air—parking spots at the shopping malls are becoming a treat of pure luck—gigantic line-ups waiting at every store—nature has dressed the city in white—gifts are the epitome of the season—and among these customary proceedings, there is one I call “The New Year’s resolution virus”. As December 31st gets nearer, the virus spreads more rapidly and it gets stronger than ever. It will soon infect us all.

I always enjoy Jim Fay’s e-newsletters. He always does a great job getting to the point quickly. I’m running Jim’s latest blog post below, because it resonates with people of all ages.

Why Do Questions Make Our Kids Think?

How can we make sure that our kids are doing their fair share of the thinking? How can we keep ourselves from getting pulled into working harder on their lives than they are? How can we help them become prepared for a world full of decisions and consequences?

Ever been faced with an employee who doesn’t seem the least bit motivated? To get to the root of the problem and uncover his or her motivational needs, start with sincere praise of their strengths. Even the most ornery employees usually have at least one characteristic you can admire, even if it means spinning their negative traits into positives!

To an employee who stews all day in his office:
“I like your intensity. Have you always been so intense when it comes to your work? What can I do to help your time here be less stressful?”

To an employee who has trouble meeting deadlines:
“I appreciate all the time and attention you spend on your reports. Unlike the reports I get from others, yours never have mistakes. What steps do you take to make sure your reports are flawless? How long does that process usually take? Do our usual deadlines give you enough time to prepare your reports? What can we do to help so that your reports arrive before the deadline, without losing your trademark accuracy?”

If you love ice cream, you’re probably familiar with the Cold Stone Creamery premium ice cream chain. Customers have a choice among three serving sizes: “Like It!” is the smallest, “Love It!” is medium-sized, and “Gotta Have It!” is the largest portion. Similarly, your business prospects have three levels of commitment. Asking them the right questions will tell you whether your prospect is in the “should” stage, the “want to” stage, or the “have to” stage. Lock-on questions are a big help here, maintaining your conversation’s natural flow while subtly steering it in directions that’ll lead you toward better understanding of your prospect’s commitment level.