Ever feel you’re not connecting with someone in a business conversation?  Wondered why?

There have been occasions in the past, during a discussion on business issues, when we seemed to be disconnected with someone we’d just met.  Although not happening often, it was something we wanted to investigate and find out the potential cause/s (with Curiosity being one of our Values!).  This is what we discovered.

The basis for our disconnection was assuming we were all at the same starting point – we weren’t.  The easiest way to describe this is by using a 10 point scale, where 0 refers to negligible understanding and 10 being complete understanding.

We found we were starting a particular conversation at, say, “level 7” but the recipient was at “level 3”.  (Note: this is not to say we were “smarter” than the recipient, just that the topic was one in which we had considerable expertise.)  Consequently, there was no connection and a lack of rapport from the outset.

When we recognised this communication failing on our behalf, we realised that we needed to quickly determine where the recipient’s level of understanding was so that we could take them on their appropriate journey.  We also learnt two additional aspects:

1. Trying to connect at “level 2” when the recipient was at “level 3” saw us inadvertently come across as patronising
2. Stages of understanding could not be skipped e.g. jumping from “level 3” to “level 6” also led to confusion and being disconnected

Although we had considered we were excellent communicators it turned out that, on occasions, we were simply good transmitters, which reinforced the fact that, irrespective of how well we believe we have described/discussed something, the success of the communication is solely based on how well it has been received.

So, that describes our problem….what did we do to find a solution?

• Firstly, and most importantly, we based our entire conversation around questions. At no stage would we assume we “knew” the problem until we had a level of certainty – and even at that stage, we framed our conclusion as a question (e.g. “So, does that mean that one of the key challenges you are facing is……?)
• Secondly, we became so invested in discussions that we took no notes. By becoming totally engrossed in the conversation, we found that we were able to record the conversation with remarkable clarity afterwards.  Additionally, by not taking notes during the conversation, we were able to focus entirely on what was taking place and not be distracted.
• Finally, by being fully involved with the conversation, we found that not only were we connecting with the business issue, but we were also starting to form a strong relationship with the recipient.  They felt they were being listened to, because they were!

This was our journey in connecting with others  – we hope there are some aspects that may assist you in your business discussions.

In a previous post, we highlighted the fact that the values of an organisation were important because they provided us with focus around what we wanted our organisation to be. Enacting these values, with the right people, are critical to ensuring the organisation achieves this focus.

The GIRO Advisory organisational core values are (in no particular order):

• Courageous
• Humble
• Authentic
• Curious
• Empathic

We know them and can readily state them but, most importantly, can describe and explain each consistently.  They are meaningful to us because this is how we behave – we have no doubt that every one of our clients would testify that we live these values consistently.

We hope that this quick read on our journey to identify these values may assist you in some way.

Our starting point was working out what we wanted our organisation to stand for – we recommend this for every organisation so that prospective employee alignment is easy for all parties.  If a prospective employee is clear on what an organisation stands for and, importantly, knows this organisation lives its values, then the chances of attracting and retaining the “right” employee are significantly enhanced.

Secondly, the values also assist us in working out who we want to partner and/or work with.

And, finally, we were able to determine and describe values that reflected who we were, and what we stood for.

As such, the meaning that we place behind our values that are important for us are:

Courageous  We always endeavour to say and do the right thing regardless of ramifications. This includes the ability to make the tough calls even if it is choosing the “least bad option”, instead of leaving these difficult decisions for others.

Humble  Our purpose is to make you look good, and this means leaving our egos at the door. We do this by being adaptable to better points of view, with a recognition that we cannot always be right. Importantly, being  humble tempers our courageousness appropriately.

Authentic  We are authentic by being genuinely interested in you and your business. Our business issue focus comes from a willingness to truly understand your needs, and ensure they match your wants. We invest in relationships, in order to interact at the emotional rather than transactional level.  Revenue is always a secondary consideration.

Curious  We aspire to be critical thinkers, with an insatiable thirst for not only knowledge but to ensure that advice and direction are provided based on accuracy, not assumptions. We do this through using the enquiry method, so that we ask rather than tell.

Empathic  We pride ourselves on our ability to listen, and be non-judgmental. We recognise that people are all moving on their own journeys, within their own environment, and that communication is about how things are received rather than how they are transmitted.

One of the most important things to understand is that these five core values work for us – some may work for you, none may work for you, or all may resonate –  it all depends on what your organisation stands for.  And it’s very important to note that our definitions for our values may need to be amended to suit your organisation, especially as these apply to the professional services sector.

Although the common saying “An employee leaves a Manager, not an Organisation” may not always be the case, once an employee’s values misalign with an organisation’s values, there is no turning back. Working this out before a prospective employee is brought on saves everybody unnecessary time, effort and angst.

[Please stay tuned for our next update in this series]

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast”

“People leave Managers not organisations”

“Being a great place to work is the difference between being a good company and a great company”

“People are our greatest asset”

We’ve all seen and heard these quotes at some point, and many more. There are many prominent articles that speak to company culture, and the reasons why people leave organisations – most of these relate in some way to misalignment of values between the person leaving and the organisation.

Is this because the values of the organisation are meaningless, or they are not actively enforced or practiced?  Maybe it’s a combination of both?

What if the values of the organisation were clear, and resonated with the type of employee they were seeking to attract?

Do we spend too much time on “fixing” this misalignment, rather than ensuring that it doesn’t happen in the first place?

Our experience across many organisations is not necessarily that people leave their managers – they often leave the organisation because the values of the organisation do not align with that of the employee. And we find that this is fundamentally due to the organisational values not actually being a part of the “organisational DNA”. Instead, the values have become a set of “buzz words” that senior executives, or owners, or Boards have put in place because that is what is expected.

I mean, how often are values set out in the form of an acronym because it makes things “easy”? If I were to see one more set of PRIDE (Professional/Proud/, Respect/Relevant/Resilient, etc…..) “values” again, I think I’ll scream!!!

Instead, organisations that make their values meaningful, succinct, powerful and, importantly, aligned to what they actually want their organisation to be are not only the most successful in attracting the right type of people for them, but also retaining and growing with their employees. As organisations, we spend so much time, effort and cost on marketing and recruitment, without the same amount of resource spent on what we want our organisation to be and what we stand for i.e. our values. “Our most important asset” will not only remember but also enact meaningful values because they are emotional to them, not just transactional.

The values our organisation lives, that work for us and our culture are:

Authentic
Courageous
Humble
Empathic
Curious

We remember them easily because they are our DNA.   They work for us, some may work for you but, above all else, decide what values your organisation will truly find “value-able”.

[Stay tuned for our next post, when we unpack the meaning behind our values that make them truly meaningful for us]

We will soon be posting regular articles that we hope you will find insightful and valuable!