Taking customer service from excellent to exceptional.
Welcome to our guest blogger, Results Coach Marilyn Suttle. She’s an international conference speaker, communication expert and the bestselling author of “Who’s Your Glady? How to Turn Even the Most Difficult Customer into Your Biggest Fan.” “Complaints 101” can get you into trouble. If it’s essential to handle customer complaints well, then why do so many service […]
Continue readingAre you a strong leader? Bust the myths.
My client Kevin called me, frustrated that he’d finally been chosen to lead his team—and it wasn’t working out. As leader, he was being forceful with his teammates, he said, but they were stubbornly resisting his authority. “They’re used to me being Mr. Nice Guy. Now that I’m in charge, that’s got to change.” Was […]
Continue readingAuthenticity means vulnerability: Why you can’t fake positivity.
I have an annoying behavior that I’m working to change. It’s a lifelong habit of sharing sad personal information with a happy face. My intentions may be good, but even if they are, scientific research reveals why the effect can be off-putting. Emotional congruence invites empathy. In one brain-imaging study, researchers used PET scans to […]
Continue readingA caring tone means more than words alone. Bosses, take note!
We’ve all heard that to nourish our relationships, we’ve got to dish out plenty of praise. And that’s true! But science shows that praise delivered in a negative manner may be worse than no praise at all. Meanwhile, even criticism given with compassion creates a positive experience. Warm-and-caring always wins! An Australian study tested what […]
Continue readingHow “supporting” another person’s goals can be downright harmful.
In our personal and professional relationships, most of us like to think we’re supportive of other people as they pursue their goals. But if in our desire to help, we become, let’s say, “over-enthusiastic,” we may do actual harm. One common mistake is to offer suggestions (even valid ones) too aggressively, or in the wrong […]
Continue readingIs someone’s personal habit driving you crazy? What to do about a “social allergy.”
Ever heard of a “social allergy?” This psychology term refers to the condition of finding someone else’s particular habit intolerable. Does it repulse you that your romantic partner always leaves the cap off the toothpaste? Does it horrify you that your co-worker very loudly slurps her coffee? Social allergies develop over time. When you begin […]
Continue readingHow do you tell an employee to shape up? What science says about motivation.
Now that she’s been promoted to manager, Nell discovers that one of her charges, John, is underperforming. He’s talented, and once was a good worker. After observing him for a week, she sees that he is simply slacking off. He arrives late, leaves early and chats on his phone throughout the day. He shows zero […]
Continue readingProfessional women, speak up! But do so with “feminine tact.”
There’s a myth that women talk more than men. The truth? Studies show that in professional situations, men talk far more than women—whether it’s at conferences, seminars or office meetings. Meanwhile, other research finds that people tend to see those who speak up the most as being the smartest. So women should talk more at […]
Continue readingDon’t give in to social lethargy or insecurity. Step up & reach out!
Over the last few decades, scientists have determined that we are, above all, social animals. That’s why we need friendships in order to be happy and healthy. It’s also why, to succeed in most professions, you’ve got to get along with other people. But what if you’re feeling left out or rejected by others? Should […]
Continue readingTo get the credit you deserve, you must be assertive
(and in the right way).
If you’re not getting the credit you deserve at work, it’s likely you need to be more assertive. Research shows that this can be especially tricky for a female professional. If she tries to assert in a “male” way—being gruff or domineering—she will be shot down. On the other hand, if she’s apologetic about it, […]
Continue reading