Coming out of my shell, one conversation at a time
I’ve worked in sales, led teams, and built a business. After all that, I’m still an introvert to the core.
I’ve worked to come out of my shell over the years. Every time I take a personality test, I still come out on the introverted side. I’ve come to think about speaking up the way I think about any habit I’m trying to build. I can give myself one thing to do the next time the opportunity comes up.
In sales, start with one good question
Here’s where I’d start on a sales call. Listen for what the customer cares about and ask one follow-up. “What matters most to you about getting this right?” gives them room to tell you what they actually need.
If I were making this a habit, I’d write down one question before the call. Once the customer starts talking, I can follow their lead. Having a question ready gives me a way into the conversation.
In leadership, pick one moment to speak
At Verizon Wireless, our sales and customer service teams used to come in and check the Beat Your Best board. They could see how they were doing and pick one thing to work on that shift. A goal for the whole month came down to something they could do that day.
Read the Beat Your Best story to see how we used it, or try the interactive board with a number of your own.
I think the same idea works when you want to speak up more. At your next team huddle, try asking, “What’s one thing getting in your way this week?” Then give people time to answer. One question can surface something the team can act on, and listening to the answer is part of leading.
When I led meetings in healthcare marketing, I also gave people a way to share ideas in writing. That’s how I learned what brainwriting can bring out in a team.