Feedback Please?

Recently, Eaglei has been asked to deliver some coaching sessions with a difference.

One workshop entailed working with a client that had received a series of rejections at the pitching stage and been given the polite, standard ‘we regret to inform you..’ devoid of any meaningful, constructive feedback.

In another case we worked with a technically proficient company that were struggling to build a rapport with their potential client and, as a consequence, had failed to secure a significant sale.

In both cases, what our client desperately needed was some honest feedback about why they had failed to make an Emotional Connection. In my experience, this scenario appears to be increasingly common.

So how do you give the very best impression of yourself? What is your strategy for making this connection so that the person remembers, and feels more inclined to do business with, you – today, tomorrow and in several months’ time?

One of the central themes of our so-called ‘soft skills’ (there must be a better term than this!) coaching workshops is Authenticity. I have written about this subject before – Are You The Real Thing? At a recent talk Eaglei delivered at Leeds Business Week 2017, a colleague of mine Tim Collins mentioned the work of Brene Brown. I have become absorbed by this remarkable woman and quickly realised that we share a similar approach when it comes to this critical area.

Having viewed many of her talks – The Power of Vulnerability (a personal favourite) and read one of her books Daring Greatly, I understand and appreciate even more than I did the importance of this sensitive topic. Having the courage to be vulnerable leads not only to a greater understanding of oneself, but also helps enormously to build more truthful and enduring working relationships.

As Brown so eloquently says, ‘perfect and bulletproof are seductive, but they don’t exist in human experience’ and ‘vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness’.

If you are seeking some additional personal development and coaching to see yourself as others see you, give honest feedback on your performance and, most importantly, help you display more of your authentic self, then let us help to support you.