Do Business Well

Personality factor: Impulsivity

Most personality traits are present to some degree in all of us. ‘Impulsivity’ is one such trait — the degree to which we have difficulty refraining from acting on our impulses. If your Other has a history of impulsive violence, then she may be unable to tolerate the stress of the Dialogue without violent outburst. You may not wish to risk provoking physical violence. In particular, people who have been physically injured by their spouses or another individual in the past should probably not use the Method with that person. Instead, counselling and/or legal remedies are advised. Continue Reading »

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Low-Skill Mediation?

Many people are surprised by how little skill and knowledge are required of the mediator. Surprise may arise from the popular belief that the mediator’s personal abilities account for more of the results of mediation than is argued here.

On a cautionary note, however, I recommend that you at least be experienced in using the 4-Step Method in ’self-mediation‘ before undertaking a third-party effort. Although it is simple to understand, pitfalls can trip the new mediator that only experience can teach her to avoid. Continue Reading »

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It’s an all-or-nothing game

Be prepared to do whatever it takes during the first three years of the life of your new business. The business will dominate your life and the life of your family until it’s strong enough to stand on its own two feet. In a way, your business is another addition to the family. In the beginning, it will be demanding, it will be delicate and it will keep you up at night. But like any new addition to the family, it will give you massive amounts of pleasure as you see it grow up. Continue Reading »

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There are four main steps to handling objections:

Step 1 When you receive an objection, listen carefully and sincerely to what is being said. Show a genuine interest in what is being said. Maintain eye contact. Don’t interrupt. It is much better that the prospect verbalises the objection completely than to stifle it. If a customer says: ‘I’d like to think it over’ and you don’t probe, you’ve lost a customer. Ask: ‘Mrs Smith, you wouldn’t want to think it over unless you had something that is bothering you. What seems to be the problem?’ Merely sharing the anxiety that leads to the raising of the objection helps lessen it.

Step 2 Make sure you fully understand the objection by repeating it back to the prospect in question form: ‘May I just check this? You feel because our company is new on the market it might be preferable to join a more established company?’ Continue Reading »

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