Published at Inside CRM, this blog piece is full of little pearls of wisdom, I especially liked these:
“4. Make eye contact. Always look directly into the eyes of the people you are speaking with. This shows you’re interested and also gives you a sense of confidence.” A previous manager of mine used to have this bizarre habit of looking directly at your eyebrows when talking to you – most unnerving, especially as it convinced you that there was something stuck there that shouldn’t be!
“8. Always smile. Smiles are contagious and will make others feel positive when you’re around.” A difficult one to do all the time but it does work. Another similar thing is when you ask people how they are and they will often ask you in return. How many times do you answer “OK thanks” or “Fine thanks”? It’s pretty powerful if you respond “I’m great thanks” or “I’m doing really well thanks”, the conversation naturally becomes more upbeat, more positive. Try it and see.
Reading through the 101 list is pretty good stuff, much more valuable than buying a management book – I think I’m going to keep dipping into the list occasionally and see what else I can apply
