January 3, 2011

What Is the Most Critical Signal When a FAIL Noise Is Sounding?

published this at 8:44 am

10-Point Plan: Show Influential Leadership in Times of Trouble

Influence Is a Clear Signal Above the Negative Noise

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i submit that every person or business with any shred of visibility has had this experience.

You make an offer or offer an opinion that’s meant to establish trust or build a bridge of good intentions. Someone takes it out of context and soon you’re branded as something that is the opposite of who you are, what you stand for, and what you do.

Really what could have prompted us to do something as thoughtless as to put the wheelchair sign next to the stone stairway and think that meant accessibility?

1066245_wheelchair_fail


People start repeating the wrong thing — not what you said or what you did, but some interpretation that sounds more interesting and negative. The tribe is speaking and they’re speaking negative about you. What do you do?

What person or business has escaped the experience of being misunderstood? The person would have to be a hermit and the business, well, it couldn’t be doing much business.

Sometimes it’s hard to remember that it’s not about pleasing folks who don’t like us, but about truly thrilling and serving the folks who love every bit of us. They are the ones who bet on us when the going gets rough.

Before the Internet we called the people who atched out for us our support system, now we call them our personal or professional network. Whatever we call that group that surrounds us with the benefit of understanding, the reciprocity of keeping them nourished with our attention and fed with our gratitude can be as simple as remembering them.

The best thing we can do for our brand and our businesses is to protect and care for the people who protect and care for us … even when we’re not seeing them do it.

The most critical signal is the respect and gratitude we constantly and consistently celebrate fpr the people who share our values. It resonate still whenever any negative noise sounds.

What do you consider most critical when a negative noise is sounding around you?

Be Irresistible.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz on your business!!

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Filed under Community, Marketing /Sales / Social Media, Successful Blog | 4 Comments »


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4 Comments to “What Is the Most Critical Signal When a FAIL Noise Is Sounding?”

  1. January 4th, 2011 at 8:46 am
    Christa M. Miller said

    I have faced this situation a couple of times on behalf of clients. Besides listening and acknowledging the negative point of view, I have found it important to draw supporters closer… not just me working with my direct points of contact in messaging, but also with internal supporters who have a different perspective on both the message and the negativity. Even if I can’t use their input at the moment — I take it back to the POCs after the fact, for consideration for future issues (and underlying issues needing to be addressed).

  2. January 4th, 2011 at 1:08 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Christa!
    Great point you make about drawing supporters closer. It sure helps when they tell the story for you and in your stead. When other folks pick up our signal and carry our honor, it’s more than social proof, it encourages us to hold to the truth with calm and to listen without prejudice.

  3. January 5th, 2011 at 6:38 am
    Vision Boards said

    Hi Christa!
    That was a nice article you made up there. Not only is it applicable to business but also in real life. A lot of people tend to misunderstand and simply give a different meaning to your words, not because they don’t like you but because they also have different experiences in life where your words have triggered a different note in them. We can’t blame them, but neither can we blame ourselves… It’s fate.
    The best thing I like about your post is on the last part about taking care of the people who are important to us, not just business associates but also the ones close to our hearts because these are the people that makes the world go round for us.

  4. January 5th, 2011 at 2:25 pm
    Sean McGinnis said

    Vision Boards, are you implying Christa made up her story?

    “That was a nice article you made up there.”

    Only kidding, but just barely as that was my initial reading of your opening line.

    The irony runs deep, given the scubject matter of the article. Both remind me of one of my favorite reminders:

    “Communication is what the listener does. – or so says a coach friend of mine. I remind myself of this constantly. I have a long way to go as a communicator, but this gentle reminder helps me out daily.

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