Nice as Honey

We’ve all heard “honey gets more flies than vinegar”.   I had an interesting communication with a professional a few weeks back.  This fellow was rude, arrogant and generally I would classify as a bully.   Within about 30 seconds of getting on the phone with him, he had my bristles up.  Later I thought he could have achieved a far better result by simply applying a little bit of honey to his manner.   Had he been pleasant, introduced himself and explained what he needed, asked (rather than demanded), and generally treated me in a pleasant way and with a little respect, do you think he would have achieved so much more, so much easier, and so much quicker!

Let’s face it folks, the people you deal with are people, so here are some practical tips on dealing with people:

1. Use their name.  A simple “thanks Mary” goes a long way.
2. Relate to them.  Maybe you forgot to order something and it’s 4:55pm and you need the item shipped today.  Explain your dilemma, get them on board and they might be inclined to help you out.
3. Ask, don’t demand.  Do you think “I need you to …” would work better than “You have to …”.  Phrases like “can you please help me?” or “I would really appreciate it if you could ... “ will take you a long way.
4. Keep patient.  If you suspect the call is going to be long winded and frustrating, then don’t do it just before lunch when you’re starving, and possibly do another non-brain task at the same time, such as tidying your desk.
5. Thanks.  I’m not just talking about the per-functionary “thanks” but a genuine “thanks heaps for your help today!”  And if they really went heaps out of their way and helped you in a huge way, then take the time to either send them a thanks note OR ring their boss and say how great they were.

If you have a tendency of being sharp, snappish, impatience, or downright rude, then you need to mend your ways.  Bully tactics will get you only so far, but a pleasant and friendly manner will get you so much further.  And guess what, when you are nice to people, they are nice back and before you know it, you are enjoying your day – and achieving positive results.