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Have you ever stopped to think about how important relationships are to our lives and to society? The very concept of the word society refers to the Latin word societas, which means “friendly association with others” and gives us the interpretation that in our world we are organized in groups with other individuals that are part of the same context.
Imagine the daily situations you face at work, whatever that may be. How often do you need to relate to people to do your job well? Well, as we are organized in a society we depend on relationships for everything we do, from when we wake up until the time we go to sleep (and even sleep with someone else).
Whether it is work, love life, our family or our circle of friends, we need other people to survive in society and much of what we build in our lives is because of the relationships we build. You may have heard, for example, great consultants, speakers or professionals talking about the importance of good networking for professional success. That’s why often those who build good relationships achieve professional success faster (and the more experienced they understand better and better what that means).
In this way, knowing how to build relationships with people becomes part of both personal and professional success. Right?
A task that is not as simple as it seems, after all each individual works in different ways and understanding the human being how it works is an essential part of the task of relating well (and you will find people of all profiles in your career). A human being is a set of constructs, beliefs and emotions that creates his individuality, so it is not possible to treat everyone in the same way.
How many times do we say something to the other person, but by a misinterpretation does it have another meaning? How many times have you tried to sell to a customer and he bought from your competitor an inferior product and still paid more? How many times have you been in conflict with your husband or wife because you did not understand what you said?
Each individual is a unique work
From our experiences, since when we are children, everything that stimulates our senses is able to construct meanings that are stored in our mind and the complexity between the combination of concepts and interpretations shape the way we will be in the future.
This makes two people, even decorating the same dictionary, interpret the same sentence differently. This construction of meanings happens daily in our lives, during a meeting, in the conversation with our boss, in the chat with the wife at the end of the day, in the relationships with the friends and in everything that is around us.
What you say is not what the other person understands.
Another important aspect of people’s relationships is the communication model that fits into one’s language. The way each individual receives information from the world is also different and what is efficient for one is not necessarily clear to another. And it is critical that we understand this to convey the information clearly and successfully.
In neurolinguistic communication, we treat these characteristics by framing people in a representational system that has three profiles: visual, auditory or kinesthetic. Understanding how each person functions within the characteristics of each person is crucial to convey the information in the right way.
When we do not know this technique, we may be trying to convey the information in a conversation, a presentation of a product or in a negotiation in the wrong way. This may impair communication and information loss may occur.
For example, people who express themselves with phrases such as “I could not see what you said” or “I think I could see what they said” are usually considered more visual people because they need pictorial references to get information. Thus, you will be able to express yourself better with examples, making you understand through the visual description of facts.
Imagine the situation that we talked about above, you present a product that is much better than that of the competitor, with an irrefutable proposal that is sure to close the deal. However, even stating that he understood the offer, the client closes with another. You may not have transmitted the information within the correct profile and thus could not delight the buyer.
What to do?
If, as you read this text, your mind has brought to your thoughts examples of situations where relationships have been harmed (professional or personal) because of communication failures, it is necessary to train our minds to communicate better. After all, speech is our greatest gift that we use to relate to people.
We need to pay special attention to relationships, as this is a key part of our professional success. Without other people, we are nothing.
If your profession is sales, relating to people is inherent in work, but even an entrepreneur who does not deal directly with the area or a mother who takes care of the children daily, without realizing it, can find in their day-to-day moments in which their communication is required more than normal.
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Photo Credit: Getty Images