Even the HR weasels among us can cash in on a good time now and then. My wife’s job just sent her to a user conference for the software system they use in the office, and through a nefarious web of deals, I managed to get myself some time off and fly to the conference with her. Now before you go imagining how much of a geek I must be to do so, let me clue you in on the cold, hard facts – We live in New Jersey and the conference is in Phoenix, it's March and there is snow and ice in NJ.... you do the math! As an added bonus, some friends of our were also going on this trip as well.
So, what does this have to do with the topic of this blog (aside from me bragging a bit)? Plenty! We HR weasels never really take a day off. I got to provide some side-line coaching to my bride and her colleague on how to address the concerns they had with the vendor. While the relationship between vendor and customer isn’t really the same as that between manager and staff, there are enough similarities to note. First, in both cases, someone is responsible for making someone else happy. Next, in both cases, someone has to deliver a product in order to get paid. Finally, in both cases, each party needs to get something out of the relationship for it to be successful. So, I guess the topics aren’t that far apart after all.
The key message here is that I found an opportunity to practice a very important Guerilla skill – helping others help themselves to prepare for and win their own Guerilla battles. The cool part was that I got to do it in a warm and beautiful environment. Better still is the end result that my bride got what she wanted out of the trip and we’ve both been enjoying her significantly lower stress levels ever since. Pretty amazing what some sunshine and a few “Prickly Pear Margaritas” can do for a person!
Now, it’s your turn. Go out into your life and find someone – a colleague, a friend, maybe even a spouse who could use some insight on how to deal with a customer, boss or colleague and help them think through their strategy. This informal coaching will help you gain comfort in listening, coaching and influencing – all noble skills for a Guerilla to keep sharp.
Cheers from sunny Sedona!
No comments:
Post a Comment