Winning Trust and Influencing Clients

Chris CoffinCC Consulting LLC

May, 2014

Winning Trust and Influencing ClientsAssumed Base Foundation: Knowledge of

the business, strategies/objectives, core competencies, financial metrics and cultural norms.

Baseline Service Expectations: Flawless execution of core services, data integrity and complete confidentiality.

Measures of Success: Key Business/HR metrics, client satisfaction.

Winning Trust and Influencing ClientsPhilosophical Foundation: A work

environment based on employee commitment drives business success. Behavior over words.

Peddler of Common Sense: Common sense is uncommon and there’s a market for it. Keep it simple, avoid HR jargon. “People like to be asked and people like to be thanked.”

Admin/Process Lite: Live with the grey, embrace nuance, use situational judgment. Trust people to act like adults.

Winning Trust and Influencing ClientsTruth Teller: Bring healthy confrontation,

candor and the voice of the employee to the table. Challenge ideas, not people.

Invite and Embrace Problems: Seek out opportunities for change. Connect with your toughest critics.

Advisor vs. Advocate Voice: One voice among many or the one voice.

Outcomes Focused: What’s the preferred outcome?

Winning Trust and Influencing ClientsRisk Management: Outline options, pros and

cons, provide data for a good business decision. Trust the process.

There’s Always More to the Story: Intelligent people and quick conclusions. Counsel suspension of judgment and fact gathering.

Encourage Difficult Discussions: Silence is not a strategy. Intent vs. impactShared Contribution

Winning Trust and Influencing ClientsJuggling Priorities: Know which are your

crystal, rubber and lead balls. Don’t drop the crystal.

Personal Growth: Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. Get into your stretch zone.

Professional Development vs. Ratings: Don’t let ratings detract from developmental messages, develop fearlessly.

The Power of Goal Setting: Pepsi Asia story.

Winning Trust and Influencing ClientsWeight of Their Words: When a senior leader

whispers, ripples are sent throughout.

Progress, Not Perfection: Don’t seek the perfect solution, just keep moving forward. Keep your perspective when all about you are going crazy.

Be a Problem Solver: Just go fix it.

Quiet Is Our Best Applause: Embrace silence.

Own Your Mistakes: Own it, learn from it, move on.

Winning Trust and Influencing ClientsNurture the Best, Move the Rest: Identify

hi-potentials for development. Encourage the tough call and coach on message delivery. Performance improvement vs. exit strategy.

Fire with Heart: Separation and transition with choice and control and support.

Hiring Formula: Smart plus nice, hire fearlessly. Sharp elbows need not apply.

Winning Trust and Influencing ClientsPersonal Board of Directors: Use the

iterative process with key colleagues. Creates good ideas and buy-in.

The Socratic Method: Question and listen more than talk. Be a sponge.

Local Option: One size does not necessarily fit all.

No Trappings: Intellect, initiative and ability over hierarchy.

Winning Trust and Influencing ClientsRelated Buttons: Speed, cost and quality are

interconnected.

Trust Your Instincts: If something doesn’t feel right, it’s probably not. Act.

Manage Energy vs. Time: Seek out energy giving activities; balance physical, mental, emotional and spiritual energy for full engagement. Set personal boundaries.

Sugggested Reading“Difficult Conversations”, Douglas Stone et al.

“The No Asshole Rule”, Robert Sutton

“Encouraging the Heart”, James Kouzes and Barry Posner

“Crucial Conversations”, Kerry Patterson et al.

“Quiet, The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking”, Susan Cain

“Immunity to Change”, Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey.