Читать книгу The Obvious: Everything You Need to Know to Succeed - James Dale - Страница 25

Once it’s quiet, open your ears. Listen to the words, the volume, the inflection, nuance, whispers, emotion, pauses, even repetition. The people presenting the problems are trying to give you the answers. Let them.

If he makes money, you make money: Your new shopping center tenant invested his life savings in a business with high potential sales per square foot. What kind of lease do you offer: high fixed rent or low base plus overages on sales? He’s practically screaming the answer. He invested his life savings so he can’t pay much during start-up. But if he makes money, he’s happy for you to make money. Low base plus overages.

Conventional wisdom? Your investment client – single mother of two, manager of women’s boutique, facing private school tuition, a car payment, and full-time nanny – inherits $150,000 from her uncle. How do you recommend she invest it? Conventional wisdom says a diversified portfolio of growth stocks, mutual funds, and high-rated bonds. But if you’d have been listening, you’d know she needs income more than growth. Fewer stocks and mutual funds, more high-yield bonds, throwing off cash for expenses.

The early boss. Your supervisor gets in early every morning, walks the office to see who’s there. Even if you’re a high-producing sales rep, he’s giving you a message: Get in early. His message may be silent, but it’s loud and clear … if you’re listening.

When you go to work tomorrow, you can be sure you’ll be hit with a problem or two. Before you open your mouth, open your ears. The person with the problem is trying to give you the solution. Listen to the problem. Hear the answer.