#938 NOT Sugar-Coating

I'm amazed daily at the discounting of the most important skills one can possess, so-called "soft skills." Things like the ability to deal effectively with people, read a room, or display a positive and flexible attitude.  

I was floored by a conversation with a CEO who I’ve begun to coach. He just bought a smaller company and kept that company's owner on board in a GM position. The CEO said, "I can't get him to understand that his inventory, shipping, and collections are terrible. They're the worst I've ever seen."  

I asked (already knowing) how he broached the subject of these systems that needed improvement. He said, "I keep telling him that they're terrible, but he doesn't understand. He even tries to defend them!"

What my CEO client didn’t understand is that after he insulted the man's business acumen with the adjective, terrible, the guy shut down. After "terrible," all that's happening is self-talk about what an offending oaf the CEO is and why he's wrong. Even if valid and valuable, his point cannot be heard above the din he created in the mind of the man he insulted.

Explaining to him that his word choice, body language, tone, pace, volume, and facial messaging prohibit improvement has been a challenge for me. He has a common, albeit misguided, notion that he is being "Real" and should not have to "sugar coat" things the way I suggest.

His intention is to improve the systems, but his intention cannot be seen. It is too well hidden behind the insults and innuendo.

What I hope to teach him is that word choice, tone, body posture, timing, and the rest isn't sugar coating. That instead, they are a few of the components of effective communication and will do more for his business growth and bottom line than any other skills he can learn.  

If you'd like to improve in this area via group or one-on-one coaching, click on my calendar here  to set up a free 15-minute coffee call with me.

Own Your Sales Gene…