I contend that the biggest disputes taking place in relationships, both in our business and our personal lives, emanate from the failure to convey information. The most commonly used mea culpa of “I forgot” does not lend itself to forgiveness very often.
One of the world’s greatest pool players of all time is Willie Mosconi. What made Mosconi so adept at the game was not simply that he could shoot a ball into any pocket on the pool table, rather his uncanny ability, as a result of shooting his last shot, to have that little white cue ball in the perfect position for his next shot. In other words, Mosconi was a master of what I call ‘Next Step Mentality’.
How often do we find ourselves driving up to the home of a friend and suddenly realizing that we forgot to bring that special bottle of wine? Or being invited, with weeks of notice, to your boss’s home for a Sunday barbecue and failing to tell your spouse until the morning of the party.
Imagine the salesperson for a large and reputable hotel chain closing the biggest convention contract in the history of the hotel. As a result of this contract the hotel will be completely sold out for five days, eighteen months from today. However, in the exuberance and celebration in the sales department he neglected to inform the reservation department of the new contract.
The consequence…a catastrophe just waiting to happen and “I’m sorry, I forgot” just isn’t going to cut it. Here’s how ‘Next Step Mentality’ comes to your rescue:At the moment you’re logging the dinner at your friend’s home onto your electronic or paper calendar, for let’s say, 7:00 P.M., directly prior to that time, log the reminder 'Bring that 2004 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir'.
At the very second that your boss is inviting you and your spouse to that Sunday barbecue, log on the evening section of today’s calendar “Talk to Mary regarding our availability for barbecue at Bob’s on the 24th”.
The hotel convention contract pending disaster could have been easily averted by the salesperson. As the client was signing the contract, the salesperson needed only to log on today’s calendar “notify reservations of Acme Freight convention”. Just another example of ‘Next Step Mentality’.
The rule of thumb is in asking yourself the following questions:
- Who would need to know what I have just learned?
- Who could benefit from this information?
- Who could be of help to me with this information?
- Who will appreciate the respect by my providing them with this communication?
You will come to find that this Next Step Mentality will soon become habitual.
You will see yourself thinking in such a way that your cue ball will always be in the perfect position for your next shot.
Len Merson, Founder, C.E.O. Chaos Over, Inc.
1-88-VERY CALM (Toll Free line)
619.980.7372 (Direct line)
Lmerson@chaosover.com
www.ChaosOver.com
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