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3 Simple Ways to Determine Your Client's Most Pressing Problem
In business today, there seems to be a ton of pressing issues ranging from limited employee engagement to rising healthcare costs to changing technology. Staying ahead of the curve can be a daily struggle and it truly takes a village to get things done.
I love being part of teams that have a positive impact on business outcomes and so I'd like to share some of my secrets with you. You see working with subject matter experts is part of the fabric of my daily life in corporate communications. I am rarely the expert on a particular pressing business challenge yet am called upon repeatedly to be part of teams that are charged to solve complex problems. My role is usually to guide the communications, change management and training aspects for the organization at the enterprise level.
With a lot of practice, I've gotten really good at being able to pivot from talking about operational issues to long term strategic planning in the same day. My role is to be the internal communications consultant to help the organization advance the ball in a number of areas. You can play a similar role where you work. So here's my time tested formula:
How You Can Help Your Clients Solve Their Most Pressing Problem?
The way I work is to use a consultative approach and ask a lot of questions. Here are 3 simple ideas for you to consider when you are supporting your clients or being asked to join a team:
- WHAT PROBLEM ARE YOU TRYING TO SOLVE?: I start by asking my client questions about the business problem they are trying to solve. You need to start here every time. Is it a process issue? Is it a people issue? Is it a technology issue? Most likely it's a process and people issue that is going on.
- WHAT'S THE DESIRED OUTCOME?: I ask what the ideal desired outcome is in a perfect world. Often times you need to help get everyone on the same page as to the desired result. And again, go back to whether you are solving a people or process issue.
- WHO IS FOR YOU AND WHAT DO YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER?: I ask my client who their biggest champion is internally and what external factors they have absolutely no control over.
In asking a lot of questions, I get my clients to organize their thoughts and develop their key talking points. I help them figure out which tactic may be the easiest to implement and which one will move the ball the fastest. I also get them to focus on things they can control. Identifying what will be difficult to influence or change helps tighten the scope of what we work on.
So next time you are working with your client and you want to win them over, focus on figuring out what the most pressing problem is and developing a solution that brings them to their desired outcome.
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Where's Tracy?
Sept 6th: Start teaching Strategic Communications to Notre Dame of Maryland undergraduates (runs 10 sessions)
October 1st and 2nd: Attending Mark Ragan's Private Event for Internal Communications Leaders at Disney Yacht Club
October 19-22: Attending Jenny Fenig's Alchemy Live event with my Business Adventure School crew and my sister Robin at the Cranwell Resort in Massachusetts
If you'd like me to speak to your organization, give me a shout. I love that stuff.
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No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
~ Eleanor Roosevelt
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Satisfying My Inner Geek
I admit it. I am a total nerd. A cool nerd but a nerd none the less. The first step is always awareness, right? Anyway, I hope to not get too geeky on you in my newsletter but I feel the need to share some of my nerd findings here. I'll keep it brief I promise.
Have you heard about Girls Who Code? I absolutely love the concept of encouraging girls to pursue their interests in science, technology, engineering and math or STEM as it is often referred to. I would have totally signed up for Girls Who Code if it existed back in the 70's. When I went to college in the 80's, we did not have a computer science major so I took as many programming classes as I could to get a minor in systems analysis. Again, I know I am a geek...and most recently I finished my masters of science in Technology and Business Management last year from Stevenson University. Love that Reshma Saujani started this movement.
Oh and BTW- One of my all time favs is the Big Bang Theory. I can watch multiple episodes and never tire of Sheldon and Penny. I have my sister to thank for turning me on to this show. Total nerd humor at its finest.
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4.0. Geek Transcript. Enough Said.
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I am obsessed with reading (always have been). So I thought I'd share with you, my fabulous tribe, what's on my night stand. Right now I am reading Kate Northrup's booked called Money: A Love Story- Untangle Your Financial Woes and Create the Life You Really Want. Kate is the daughter of Dr. Christiane Northrup, the well-known physician that wrote the best seller called Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom. Kate is on a mission to teach women how to shift their beliefs about money, create a budget, spend time in line with your values, get out of debt and so much more. She recommends keeping a Money Love Journal and has easy to do worksheets throughout the book as you learn to love money and yourself. I give the book 5 stars on a scale of 5! Check it out.
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Something Personal
Pictured above are my two beautiful nieces, Laura (left) and Amanda (right) enjoying themselves at a fish fry in the Bahamas. We were there for Amanda's destination wedding to her new hubby, Matt. Her wedding was spectacular and we had a blast. I've watched Laura and Amanda grow up to be simply amazing women doing phenomenal work in the world. I count them as two of my many blessings in life. I love these girls and what they are doing in the world. So grateful for them!
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About This E-Zine
The Point is a whenever-Tracy-sends-it e-zine for clients, colleagues and other friends who want to become better leaders, better communicators, and more tech savvy business people. We love when you forward our stuff to people like you! Oh and we promise to NEVER sell our list to anyone. Your information is safe with us.
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