What does differentiating oneself as a Professional of Worth have to do with seeking business common ground? After all, doesn’t that concept fly in the face of everything we have been taught as sellers, doers, makers, inventors and financiers?
Consider that so many of us are so busy chasing the objective of trying to be different, that we lose sight of why we do what we do. Our true goal is to get on the same page as our clients. Otherwise, proposed and implemented solutions are near-misses. And service is off the mark. Consequently, customers realize they have no reason to continue doing business with us. That is tragic.
Seeking business common ground differentiates the customer’s experience of us.
I am privileged and honored to travel the globe, speaking to and working with many talented entrepreneurs and business professionals. No matter what the size of their businesses, or level of their education, trust me on this one, folks. We all have far more in common with each other than we have differences with one another.
Seeking business common ground with one another, in fact, does become the basis of our professional differentiation.
I will address this topic throughout the new year. Because seeking common ground becomes more important in this increasingly trying-to-be-fractured world. Call me an idealist; I will not give in to this notion. That is just who I am. So, I leave you with this thought as we all waft into the various Holidays that we celebrate. (Or are finished celebrating).
What makes us different from everyone else is our business humanity. Our ability to listen, compassionately yet clinically. And chew on the real problems we discover. Instead of picking and pulling Yesterday’s solutions to solve Today’s problems, because all we (think we) want/need to do is meet our organization’s KPIs.
Instead, our choice is risky, bold and rewarding. We move one millimeter outside of what is logical and emotional: to us and to our clients. In our objective of best serving each other’s business common ground.
At the end of the day, we all want to sit down with those we love and break bread and be grateful for who we are and what we have. And be thankful for our abilities to make a difference for others. Each and every day. No matter what we do, or sell, or make.
Our humanity, and the human-ness we contribute to business, is how we differentiate ourselves by seeking business common ground. In turn, our colleagues’ and clients’ abilities to bring their humanity into our business relationships is what differentiates them, in our eyes, as well.
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Babette Ten Haken and her One Millimeter Mindset™ speaking and storytelling programs catalyze organizations and associations, like yours, who want to leverage a more profitable workforce to retain the customers you work so hard to win. Babette is a member of SME, ASQ, SHRM and the National Speakers Association. Babette’s Playbook of collaboration hacks, Do YOU Mean Business? is available on Amazon.com. Her professional speaker profile appears on the espeakers platform.
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