name is Al and when I was growing up he owned a small display company just north of Boston. He dealt with drug, department, and specialty stores. He would decorate large display windows. Many a summer day I would go along to work with him and I would learn lessons that would last me a lifetime.
Now I still chuckle when I think of how he used to dress. You see, he dressed the same way almost every day. He wore a long-sleeved starched white shirt and a plaid bow tie—even when it was 95 degrees out. It was a different time! And, of course, I would dutifully follow behind with my short blonde crew haircut, carrying his old beat-up brown leather workbag.
I remember clearly my first day on the job. Dad drove to Osborn’s drug store. Before we left the car he told me, “Don, today we are going to meet the store owner, Mr. Osborn, and I’m going to introduce you as my partner! Now, he’ll probably smile or laugh. But when I introduce you, I want you to put down the bag, make eye contact, and smile. Then, extend your reach and shake his hand. He’ll like that a lot. Then we are going into his office for a meeting. I want you to sit to one side—don’t say anything, just observe.”
Once we were in the store and the time came, he introduced me. I did exactly what he asked me to do. I put down the bag, smiled, extended my reach and shook Mr. Osborn’s hand. He smiled back and then we went into his office and I sat to one side. Now, Dad never told me exactly what to look for, he just said to observe. So there I was, trying to figure out what was going on. I saw the meeting unfold: the humor, the give and take, and the negotiation. After about 45 minutes, they finished, stood up, shook hands and we were on our way. Dad took me to a place called Stilliano’s Café for lunch.
As we were sitting at the counter eating lunch, Dad began to ask me a series of questions. Now, you have to understand that when Dad would ask me a question, no matter what my answer was, he would always drill down for more information. It went something like this:
Dad: So, Don, what did you think about the meeting?
Me: Well, Dad, I think you did a great job!
Dad: Oh, really? Why do you think I did a good job?
Me: Well, you asked the questions you said you were going to ask, but then you listened to hear what he had to say.
Dad: OK, good observation. And what about the customer?
And on it went. There was this give and take, questioning and answering. Then he said something that has stayed with me for a lifetime. He said, “Don, no matter what your product or service may be, or who you may deal with, always remember this one, all-important word—people. Always place people in the equation.”
It sounds so simple, yet powerful and true. Let’s face it: we are in a fast-paced technologically driven world, with high expectations and low attention spans. So how do we navigate through the noise? I believe it’s by keeping in mind that no matter how you may communicate, be it in person, by phone or using technology, you must always remember there is a human being on the receiving end of your message. It’s what I call the People Proposition. What is the People Proposition? I’m glad you asked.
That’s what you’re going to find out by reading this book. You will learn tips and proven techniques that will make a difference in how you connect, communicate and collaborate in your professional and personal lives.
So let’s begin.
WHY THIS BOOK?
YOUR RELATIONSHIPS MATTER
After a lifetime of experience working for and with family businesses as well as Fortune 500 companies, I’ve noticed one common characteristic that all successful businesses share: they value what I call the People Proposition. That is, no matter what the product or service may be, we need to keep in mind that people are paramount in the equation. Today we have numerous ways to communicate with each other from cell phones, emails, texts and tweets to other social media. These are powerful and useful tools that can be used 24/7 virtually anywhere, but they shouldn’t replace the most important tool we all are capable of using: old-fashioned face-to-face interaction. Whether it’s with an associate, client or prospect, interacting face-to-face gives our relationships that much more meaning and helps us to develop stronger bonds.
Dr. Michael Budd, Director of Philosophy in Humanities at Salve Regina University, recently commented on hyper-connectivity and said, “You are connected and yet you are alone.” If you think for a moment, the most meaningful and lasting relationships in our lives, be they business or social, have all had some element of face-to-face interaction. Start reconnecting with clients in person and complement these meetings with social media for a powerful one-two punch.
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