Improving Communications and Likability

At the center of business and personal success are the relationships we develop and maintain. It’s interesting that there is very little focus on how to do this well. Likable, honest individuals are much more likely to be sought out for new business than someone who has a reputation for being difficult. Focusing attention on improving your communication skills and relationship management can be the difference between success and failure.

Because there have so many critical ethics violations by large corporations, there has been a new call for businesses to be “transparent”-that is radically honest. Studies have shown that customers are more loyal to companies that make mistakes, quickly admit them and fix the problem than they are to companies who never made a mistake. Be as transparent as possible with your customers, vendors and employees to improve your reputation.

Be sure that when you are interacting with others that you are maintaining eye contact. This lets the speaker know you are paying attention and really listening. It is annoying and disheartening to see the person you are speaking to glancing around the room while you are talking. Maintaining eye contact is a small, but important way to make the person feel valued.

It is important in building relationships to get to know the people you are involved with. You do this by asking them questions about their lives and their interests. It is surprising how few people do this and it is an easy way to gain loyalty, from both customers and employees. Get to really know the people around you and your business will prosper.

Body language is a subtle, non-verbal way that people unintentionally communicate their feelings. Whether their head is tilted a certain way, their arms or crossed or they seem distracted, learning to read these cues can help you steer conversations to a more agreeable place. This is especially helpful in sales moments, but can be useful in all your interactions with others.

Be liberal with praise. Dale Carnegie, in his classic How to Win Friends and Influence People, recommended finding one thing with every person that you meet that you can genuinely praise or compliment. This is true with customers but also with employees. Recruiting staff is much more expensive than retaining them. Make it a goal to praise people once per week or more for their work, how they handled a situation or just their overall demeanor.

Always stay open to the input or criticism of others. By allowing that, you set an example for others and set a standard for honesty and accountability. Both of these help create strong relationships in both your personal and business life. Sometimes this small, but important skill set is what sets your business apart.

With 30 years of consulting experience, Steven Schlagel offers training and coaching for startups, entrepreneurs and small business owners. Check his site for more articles to increase your success!