1. Dubai: Different or
Similar?
By Kelly
Watkins, MBA
 During one of my many trips to
Dubai, I was standing in a looong taxi line at the mall. There were about 200
people in front of me. How do I know? Because when you’re standing in line for
1½ hours, you don’t have much else to do except watch the people.
Dubai is known for its
diversity. The taxi line resembled a United Nations convention on “Bring Your
Family to Work Day.” There were at least 20 countries represented. People were
speaking different languages and wearing all manner of clothing from black
abaya robes to tank tops and flip flops. I was immersed in looking at the
differences, until . . .
A small child started to cry –
loudly. He was lost and was trying to make his way to the Security Guard at the
front of the line. Upon hearing his cries, all 200 people became silent. The
sea of people parted, and the crying child easily made his way through the
line. No one said a word until that poor child reached the Security Guard.
(See pictures & read
Kelly's travel articles)
At that moment, I realized –
forget the differences. Some things are universally similar, including concern
for a child.
To reprint, please include:
© 2009 Kelly J. Watkins What is
poor communication costing you? For articles, resources & fun quiz:
www.KeepCustomers.com
2. How can you
apply this lesson?
Think about how this example relates to you. How you can
you apply it to your position at your company or association?
When you're a leader, you can . .
.
Acknowledge the differences, but look for the similarities.
Understand that the people around
you are different from you. To communicate effectively with them, you need to
adapt your communication based on their individual behavior styles. (Learn about
behavior profiles/assessments.)
While it’s important to recognize
the differences, seek to find something in common. Looking for similarities
will help you create connections and strengthen relationships. It will also
help you avoid the “I’m right and you’re wrong” mentality.
(Learn about seminars)
When you’re leading in a customer
service environment, you can . . .
Encourage
your employees to think about their own shopping preferences. Remind them that
their customers want a similar level of service. Ask them what they
liked/disliked about their own recent shopping encounters. Then, ask them to
share specific examples of how they can use that information to create positive
experiences for their customers.
For
articles on leadership &
communication
For
articles (and fun quizzes)
on customer service & communication
For customized solutions
(consulting, seminars, e-learning)
Kelly helps companies improve
productivity & profitability by applying the global insights she’s gained from
traveling to all 7 continents. Read travel
stories . . .
3. Newly Revised Book
Email Etiquette Made Easy
--Comprehensive guide to avoid costly email mistakes
Newly revised! 4th
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Filled with examples, exercises & practical info
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4. How good are
your listening skills?
Read this fun Listening Riddle
question ONE TIME only. Then, answer.
Question:
John’s mother had four children: January, February,
March, and _____ ?
The answer is . . .
John
John’s
mother had four children. Three of their names were January, February, March.
The only child left is John. (Need
to improve your listening skills?)
5. What is poor
communication costing your company?
Click to discover how we can
develop your leaders and improve your customer service
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Happy
Communicating!
Kelly J. Watkins
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