Leveraging People? No, Help People.
One skill to acquire, which can takes years, involves a good memory, plus good process, and a moral compass, is working with people. Leveraging is a tricky term, and I’ll explain more.
The ebb and flow of people. How many People drift in and out of your life?
Leveraging is the word I chose to use, but is not the word I exactly want as it is suggestive of using people for illicit means. That is not what I am about. But it is a useful word to start with.
I wish to chat about working with People in a mutually beneficial way. By leveraging I seek to talk to people to see how I can help them and they help me. Generally speaking People are pack animals and achieve results via cooperation, with individuality hampering scalability. It is about leveraging a potential opportunity. It is about helping People and thus being helped yourself. And it tries to break the existing system that dictates using People with you only seeking to focus on what you want, which naturally plays to the Chimp in all of us (See The Chimp Paradox.)
Simply it is about chatting to people, both old and new about opportunities, having the light bulb moment where one sees a “need”, and having doors to open or choose from. The trick is to speak to People, understand their needs, and see how your needs being assisted can fulfil what they need. This is the leveraging aspect. But you have to be morally genuine. Life should not be about using People.
One of the greatest feats of business I believe is working with People as one would want to be treated, and this can and should be done on a business level, not just personal. This is important as we progress. All of us have to realise that here is not such thing as business and personal, but life. You have to view life as holistic. In doing this our interpersonal skills become fluid and flow through all aspects of life, and this enhances how you work and deal with People, especially those who are not family or friends or close associates. There is rhyme and reason to what I say, so please do continue reading. There is a bigger picture.
With thanks to Bill Watterson, Creator of Calvin and Hobbes.
An Example Process
Soooo… you know people on this planet. And don’t we all. Question is what approach do I take talking to People? And this is driven by three considerations.
You can and do need to talk to People and establish their need.
You have to have a need yourself, that is your part of the social contract. If doing business (and see below.)
You only act morally with the best intentions for the other party.
It is all quite simple.
Make a list of your contacts across all areas of life. You can categorise them if that helps. For example: close contacts, not so close contacts, agency, media owner etc. It depends upon how you personally define your relationships. Put this into a format you are comfortable with. I like Evernote or Excel. And use a customised Nutshell for my CRM.
Then contact them for a chat. Speech is always better than faceless e-mail or text or Social Media, but of course don’t rule these out in this day and age.
When chatting to your contact it will be defined by how close a relationship you have and any approach should be tempered accordingly.
But first, what is your need? Define it. Explain it to the contact when you do talk to them. Honesty is important here.
Define the need of the contact prior to the call, or what you assume is the need. On speaking to the contact establish the need and see if it matches.
You can use an old sales approach to do this. I was trained to AIDA for example. Look it up here.
But you must engage your moral compass in dealing with your contact. This is not just about tapping them up. Be honest about the chat, but do call those People you also want to genuinely talk to and have an interest in.
The output it a symbiotic relationship that benefits both parties.
The Other Approach - which is important
Sometimes I just call contacts up to say hello and have a natter, without engaging the aforementioned approach. I enjoy talking to People, some of whom I have known for years. It is enjoyable and staves off boredom, keeps you in touch, and reminds People that Mr Cobley is still in existence albeit keeping a low profile.
A lot of my business, pleasurable versus teeth pulling, is engendered by referrals. People remembering me, or getting in touch direct. And this has come about by talking to people, seeking to find out what their needs or wants are and trying to help them. As you give you get back.
So it does work if you speak to People.
An Example
Examples are good. We like examples. They contextualise things.
Say I have a need to generate more new business and decide to speak to a senior contact at an advertising agency for a natter. I can explain I need some new business and this “good” contact can offer to help within his/her agency. In return after a chat I can help out with contacts for a less senior role my contact is struggling to fill at their agency. It may only be a couple of hours work to help. With the trade off being my potential involvement in more senior roles via my Head Hunting.
Morality drives the call. And I do what to chat to this Person even if nothing comes of it. I like People. I like chatting.
Notes
The approach I espouse is couched for Covid life. Do not in any way shape or form miss the opportunity to meet People directly, whether in a meeting, a networking event, or just plain bumping into them in the street.
Lastly KISS, KISS, KISS, KISS.
Please, please remember “Keep it simple Stupid” as a core tenet, Just pick up a phone, meet someone, have a chat. Makes notes, have a think, see if there are mutually beneficial opportunities.
If you have to, use e-mail, but it can be a poor tool to use. A tad too cold and formal.
Be careful with e-mail.