heartharmony.com.au

Humans seem to be hardwired for information and gossip. We see it every day in the celebrity gossip magazines, and the paparazzi industry. This industry is founded on taking micro facial expressions, snippets of conversations and creating a full operatic production from the information.  … And people lap it up in droves.

But this love of gossip is not limited to celebrity watchers. In a workplace, people watch “the boss” with the same intensity as they watch the latest scandal over Brittany. They look for facial expressions, the odd comment overheard as they pass by, cryptic post-it notes and pieces of paper left in photocopiers are pored over, and in the absence of any other information, people create a story around their interpretations of what they see. In stable times, this interpretation generally revolves around who are the bosses favourites and who gets the plum projects.

In more challenging times, the interpretation can swing wildly from businesses closing down through to sackings or takeovers. In challenging times, people naturally turn inwards and want to know “what does this mean for me”. In the absence of other information, they run these micro pieces of information through their internal mental representations of the world, and leap to conclusions. These conclusions then colour their actions – ranging from looking for other jobs, to disengaging mentally from the workplace, through to spreading their thoughts (gossiping) to other workmates and triggering mass hysteria.

There were studies done a few years back that looked at how people want to hear information about change or challenge in their workplace. Hands down winner was that people wanted to hear about the changes from their immediate boss, and not the CEO, company spokesperson or general briefing. They want to hear it from the person who they have the closest relationship with.

And yet, most businesses in times of challenge, sit on information. They wait until all the facts are known, trying to protect employees. The problem with this approach is that the micro snippets of information do get out and the workforce already starts the rumour mill running.

It is far better to share what you know when you know it, and answer honestly “We don’t know that yet and will tell you when we do”, rather than sit stoically silent waiting for all of the information. You need to share your story and your information as openly and as honestly as you can, as soon as you can. You need to fill in the blanks for your team, not allow them to create their own version of the truth that you then need to correct.

But it is not only employees who fill in the blanks. Customers do the same thing. When looking at businesses to buy from, they do the same hunt for micro expressions, snippets of information and then draw their own conclusions. Many company websites seem more designed as a “do it yourself mystery” rather than actually sharing full information with their clients. They leave out core information, they share images which may or may not be what they are like to work with, and they leave unanswered questions in the minds of their customers. In the absence of information to the contrary, people make an assessment about the business based on what they read and what they see. Businesses need to look at what they are communicating, and find ways to share their stories more fully with their customers and not leave them to make stuff up based on snippets of information.

You see, the thing is that once a piece of information is in someone’s mind, it can’t be erased. Marketers use this “priming” deliberately – anchoring the thought that the product or service is not this ridiculously high price, but this relatively more modest price point. Your mind remembers the first figure named. In business, employees and customers remember the first bit of information or gossip that they hear about a person or a business – even if it is false and subsequently overturned by correct data. If you wait to respond with information until you know all the facts, then you are no longer in control of the information that is recalled by your employees or customers.

So the bottom line is – get in first, give as much information as you can, there is no crime in saying “I don’t know the answer to that right now”, and repeat the message until you are heartily sick of it.

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance writer

There are times in most businesses and lives when nothing much is happening. Nothing creative. No innovations.  No new directions. From the outside all is quiet. The challenge is working out what is happening on the inside.

Are you stuck – and have no idea which way is the best way forward, but can’t go backwards either? Are you in a holding pattern where you have to wait for other planes to land before you can make your move? Are you just part of a natural rhythm of nature and are lying fallow at present but with the spring warmth will burst into bud? Or are you procrastinating – knowing what you could be doing, but for whatever reason (usually fear) you teeter on the edge – not willing to take the leap into your future?

Looking in from the outside, each of these patterns look the same. But looking out from the inside the scene is very different. Each view of the world is coloured by a different emotion. Stuckness has a confused, heavy quality to it. Holding patterns can start as quiet resignation, but can turn to irritation or frustration if the wait is too long. Lying fallow usually feels slow and gentle. Procrastination feels unsettled and like a burr under your skin.

Getting out of each state into action also has its differences. Stuckness needs insight, wisdom and pathfinding. You can’t move from stuckness to action just by force of will alone. Getting out of a holding pattern before the other planes have moved is a recipe for disaster, so the only two choices you have are to learn the art of patience or find a different landing strip. Trying to move from fallow to full production before the conditions are right means a measly harvest if at all. The only way out of lying fallow is waiting for the change in the seasons. Moving from procrastination to action requires facing the fears down and taking action anyway.

So if you or your business are in the doldrums you may want to stop and work out whether you are stuck, in a holding pattern, lying fallow or procrastinating. You can then match the action strategy with the issue, and not just leap into ill-considered action.

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writer

Every now and again I get asked about favourite pieces of software that I use to boost productivity.  About two months back a close friend told me about Dropbox and I have to admit that I now can’t live without it.

So what is Dropbox? Well if you put your files into Dropbox on one of your computers, provided you have installed Dropbox on your other computers, then the file is instantly synced between your computers.  What that means is if I work on a client file on my desktop, the next time I turn on my laptop I can access the most current client file and make edits, which are instantly synced back to my home computer. I can also access the file online if I need to from a client’s computer.

So what? No more shuffling USBs, no more emailing versions to myself, no more sitting at an airport thinking “darn, I brought the wrong version of the file with me”.

Once you have yourself sorted, then the fun begins – you can grant access to individual files or folders to one or a number of people, and set the individual permission levels from read only to edit and delete.  For me it means my clients can now access drafts without having to email backwards & forwards or hassling with Yousendit or other programs (a much better option if we are at graphic design phase and need to work between client and designer).

Things you can do to really take it to the next level.

• Small teams can now access all corporate manuals and documentation using Dropbox from whatever computer they are using (which means always having the most current version of corporate policies and procedures).
• Remote workers or telecommuters can store their stuff centrally, no more stressing about the quality of home backup systems.
• People on extended leave can stay in touch with work projects.
• Use it to upload & share photos with your family while you are overseas (without the hassles of Facebook security/privacy).
• Teams can collaborate on drafts of documents.
• It covers you in case your house/business burns down (with all your computers & backups with it).
• Load your MYOB file into it so your accountant can work their magic without hogging your file or stopping you from invoicing.
• Use Dropbox with your Virtual Assistant to organise audio transcription or file editing.

Did I mention that the first 2GB is free and up to 100GB is available at negligible cost? Yes, it covers both Mac & Windows, and yes, they take your security seriously.  And no – I am not getting any kickbacks or even free space for this post – I consciously chose just to recommend it free and clear (it is that good).  So check out Dropbox for your business and you will very quickly be wondering how the heck did you live without it?

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Copywriter

Invisible people are all around you. Each day, no matter where you go or no matter what you do, you pass invisible people. And no, I am not going all woo woo on you, I am simply talking about the people we all take for granted. Our taxi drivers, receptionists, shop assistants, cafe attendants, admin assistants and a myriad of other people whose job it is to care for us.

You can tell a lot about the character of a person by how they treat the invisible people around them. As an inveterate people watcher, I often sit and observe how people treat the invisible people around us. Most people barely acknowledge their existence, treating them as a funny shaped vending machine – put money in and get some goods or service in return.

And yet some people stop, take the time to give eye contact, a smile and a comment about their day or their lives. When this happens you can see the invisible people do a double take, stand a bit taller and smile. Someone has taken the time to make them visible, to be seen, to be acknowledged. Their customer service usually lifts for you and for the people after you – they feel better about themselves and their jobs – all from one simple contact.

We all crave human contact. We all have wants & desires. We all have hopes & dreams. Yet, the invisible people learn that their hopes and dreams are of lesser importance than those of the people they serve. Do we really want this to be the case?

So today when you travel about, when you grab your coffee, when you talk with an admin person, or you buy something in a shop, take a second to look at how you treat the invisible people around you, and then step out of your comfort zone to connect with them. Today make the invisible people visible.

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance writer