When NOT To Use A Consultant (aka, "Keep the Simple Stuff In Mind")

(This blog is the temporary landing spot for Advisory and Consulting Services.  If you want to reach us, please contact us at richgrunenwald@columbus.rr.com, or 614-561-3412)

We have consultants for everything: career coaches, Life Coaches, spiritual advisors, personal trainers, golf coaches, business strategy consultants, sales consultants, etc.

While an advisor can be of tremendous help, we have the power within ourselves to do much of the same analysis on our own.  My experience is that at the root of many challenges is a situation where we perhaps forgot or did not pay attention to the simple things, the basics of positive habits and personal interaction:

• Why did that person react that way? Are they unreasonable or are there maybe considerations I did not take the time to uncover?
• How come this medication for my blood pressure isn't working?  Is it the wrong medication or perhaps I have lifestyle habits that are damaging?
• Why does my teenager not talk to me?  Are they withdrawn or am I too quick to judge or maybe do not really understand their world?
• Why do I have turnover in my staff?  Do people today not want to work or maybe how I lead them makes them feel unempowered?

Admittedly, this objectivity is often difficult to attain.   Simply getting to a frame of mind that enables us to be reasonably objective about our situations, especially when under duress, is a struggle.  However, we've all done it from time to time, and need to practice removing the clutter from our minds to gain clarity:

• Sitting alone, in a quiet place.
• Mediation and / or prayer according to ones beliefs 
• Reading a book and pausing.
• A drive in the country with a stop at a cafe' for coffee
• Listening to audio books.
• A walk

...or any other number of things.  Most of the time, we have the solution to our challenge within ourselves. We need to allow it to come to the surface.

There are times when we are limited by our own knowledge or skill or other resources.  We aren't aware of options or solutions, or legitimately don't have the time to think about it.  Recognize these situations, and turn to an advisor or mentor. This is when one can be of tremendous help, quickly cutting through the noise and distortion to get to the heart of the matter and providing a path to resolution.

It just shouldn't always be where you turn first.

The Sweetest Sound One Can Hear...

(This blog is the temporary landing spot for Advisory and Consulting Services.  If you want to reach us, please contact us at richgrunenwald@columbus.rr.com, or 614-561-3412)

Those that know me also know one of my favorite sayings:

"There is nothing so sweet as the sound of one's own voice."

I am not the originator of this saying, but most certainly I have been known to get carried away in presentations and conversations on topics I am passionate about. 

But, this saying is not quite true.  There is one sound that is even sweeter than hearing your own voice, and that is...

...the sound of another person speaking your name.

Whether it is in casual conversation or a formal business meeting, greeting another person by their name is a simple and effective acknowledgement of respect and makes the interaction much more personal.  Sadly, in the hustle of of our world, we all to often ignore this simple tool that always pays dividends.  As a result, our interactions with co-workers, clients, and even our friends and loved ones become transactions, essentially exchanges of information as if we were simply components of a machine accepting inputs for processing and giving outputs to move on to the next step.

The power of using a person's name in conversation is great, particularly with more casual acquaintances. My father was a master at this, almost to a fault. I watched him as he dealt with many people who were not naturally, let's say, pleasant individuals, and within a short time be able to work with them in a positive manner.  

Of course, he was also known to take a person's name and break out into song, but that's a story for another day! 

Try it for a week. In your cube or on your monitor, pin up a note "C.M.B.N", short for "Call Me By Name" to remind yourself. Make a conscious effort to address others. The coffee shop server, the security guard at the office building, colleagues you don't work with but see in the hall every day. 

A simple "Good morning, Bob" or "Thank you, Sue" will go a long way in the quality of your interactions, and thus your relationships.

And, you will make a positive impact on your world.