Business Relationships, the Etiquette of Words We Use
It happened again. The other day during my two hour morning run I said, “Good morning,” to a man walking his dog. His reply was, “I am inspired by your faithfulness and commitment to run.” I run in my neighborhood four days per week. I have run injury free since 1975. Funny how the things we do have an influence on others we have never met. As is also the case, the words others use directed at us can lead to positive or negative results. I continued my run with a little more juice in my step as my heart raced along at a faster clip.
One of the women I see frequently on my run commented as I was climbing a steep, long hill at full speed. She said, “You are a strong man.” This lady is typically walking at a moderate pace. When I see her I always greet her with a broad smile and a cheerful, “Good morning.” It brightens my day and I hope it does the same for her.
According to one of my friends I am having a midlife crisis. If he is correct, it started in 1979 and it continues today. I am definitely outside the norm.
My friend and I belong to a business development group and have been friends for many years. In the group we get an opportunity to present to the membership weekly. In one such presentation my friend referred to the owning of a Corvette as having a midlife crisis. He referred to me in his presentation that day as having a midlife crisis. Lynne and I bought our first Corvette in 1979 and in May of 2013 purchased a 60th Anniversary Corvette. Besides these two cars we balance out our fleet with three more. I love to tinker and drive cars. So you might be asking, “What does this have to do with attracting the right prospects and generating more referrals?” The answer is in the message that we receive and those messages delivered. Let me explain.
My friend manages a district for a nationally known business in southern California. I have the opportunity occasionally to refer business to him. How he interacts with me reflects on how he might interact with the people I refer to him. I am sure that there was no malice in his saying that I am suffering through a midlife crisis by owning two Corvettes. His intention was that of levity. I know that most of the members of our business development group know that we owned the first Corvette for many years. It was my daily driver up until 2004 when I had it restored to new condition. As I received his words that day, it made me think to the point of writing this article.
Delivered messages need to be thoughtful. The words we choose should be selected to deliver a specific message. Making a conscious effort to deliver positive messages can even spill over in areas of conflict. Today, I received an angry email from a new client. My first thought might have been to respond in kind and deliver a nasty email in return. Truth be told, in years past that would have been my mode of operation. Over the years I have mellowed and find responding with kindness has saved many a relationship. It is all about how we choose to respond that delivers the best results.
The words we choose are important. Some might say that we can over think things like this. On the other hand we have all been brought up with the idea that words can hurt. I have a friend who has created a successful business around the idea “If you can’t say something nice, what do you say?”
Many people my age are in the retirement phase of their life. I continue to be in the acquisition phase of my life. Retirement is a curse word to me. If people measure me by my acquisitions they need to sit back and take notice. I continue to find ways of giving back to my community by mentoring young entrepreneurs and presenters through an International non-profit. I plan to be in midlife crisis mode for many years to come helping myself grow and those in need. If retirement means stopping what you love to do, then count me as dead.
Back to my friend. If I am having a midlife crisis, I should live to a minimum of 130. Listen carefully to the messages you receive and deliver to obtain a well rounded life experience.
Gerry Rose runs INTEGRITY Networking Solutions in Oceanside, CA. He works with people in business who want to attract the right prospects and generate more referrals. More than 10,000 businesses have been presented the INTEGRITY Networking Solutions system in San Diego, Los Angeles, Riverside, and Orange Counties.
Gerry’s stimulating presentation Unlimited Prospects, Unlimited Referrals is ideally suited for small business owners, home-based businesses, and independent professionals who want clearer direction and want to attract more prospects, develop dynamic systems, and strengthen their companies’ accountability. Gerry does one on one consulting, conducts a range of keynote speeches from thirty minutes to full-day education workshops. His book series, Unlimited Prospects, Unlimited Referrals, are available on the website, www.integritysd.com.
Gerry has more than 20 years’ experience directing business owners how to grow their businesses. He is a networking dynamo. Those who know him will assure you that he does a great job of bringing people together—which is why he started INTEGRITY.
Involved with networking organizations since 1984, Gerry is a Distinguished Toastmaster, a member of Toastmaster International, and has chaired numerous chambers of commerce and non-profit organizations.
Are you truly committed to attracting the right prospects and generate more referrals? If so then contact INTEGRITY Networking Solutions for availability and information. You can contact Gerry by mail at 1610 Quiet Hills Drive, Oceanside, CA 92056. Direct dial (760) 439-4623; e-mail to gerry@integritysd.com. For more information, go to www.integritysd.com
