Hey everybody, it’s Charlie Hauck from Growth Dynamics. Hope everybody's week is prosperous. Hope 2024 is a good year so far. You’ll be moving through the first quarter by the time you watch this and I hope you've laid the groundwork for a very successful 2024.
I want to remind some people.. There's so much of the business conversations we have that are factual, dealing with data, features and benefits, pricing, programs, rebates, all that kind of business stuff. But at the core of all of this is a really powerful reliance on understanding/managing the emotions of others and keeping your own motion under check. You should always allow people to own their emotions.
If somebody tells you they're angry, they're upset, they're disappointed, they're overwhelmed, or they're confused, there's almost nothing that you can say that would be more demeaning and more insensitive than no you shouldn't feel that way. Never deny anybody the ownership and the experience of their emotions.
Whatever it is they're going through, that is the way they feel. It may not be how you feel in the same circumstance, but if somebody says, “I'm really upset about this”, don't jump up and say, “well, you shouldn't feel that way”. Yes, they should, that's what their experiences have taught them, that's what the current circumstance leads them to feel, that's how they're reacting to it. Emotions are very personal. They come from the inside. They're based on all of that mushy stuff that makes us go and leads us down the road one way or another and we never have the right or the responsibility to deny anyone the truth that they feel in their emotions at that moment.
So whatever they tell you their emotions are, do what's most counterintuitive and tell them that makes sense. Let them know that you honor and respect those emotions and that you're not going to try to take them away and you're willing to work with them, not tell them their emotions are wrong. It can create unseen damage, but if you validate them and honor them, they'll learn to trust you even more than they do already. Remember, trust and belief are the cornerstones of all our business relationships. Go on out there, own your emotions, and let other people own theirs and make your relationships much richer for it. Have a great Friday and a great weekend. Thank you very much.