Between the Lines 👀- November Edition
Hey Leaders,
It’s with great pleasure that I welcome you to the latest edition of our “Between the Lines 👀” Newsletter!
Whether you’re a seasoned leader or just beginning your leadership journey, this newsletter is designed to inspire, educate, and provide you with the tools to continually evolve.
Throughout these pages, you’ll find a wealth of insights, from practical leadership exercises and Q&A sessions to handpicked reading materials that offer fresh perspectives. My aim is to foster a community of lifelong learners who embrace the philosophy that leadership is a journey, not a destination.
This month, the theme revolves around the art of leadership and personal growth. As you explore the content, you’ll uncover tips, strategies, and stories that will help you sharpen your leadership skills and enhance your personal and interpersonal skills.
I invite you to engage, learn, and share. Feel free to reach out with your thoughts, questions, and nominations for our Leader of the Month segment. Together, we’ll nurture a community that values the journey of leadership, celebrates personal growth, and inspires others to follow.
📚 Reading List:
In this month’s edition, we delve into two compelling titles: “Never Split the Difference” by Chris Voss and “Never Eat Alone” by Keith Ferrazzi.
As a customer service leader, you know that communication, negotiation, and relationship-building are the cornerstones of success. These two books offer valuable insights and lessons that can be applied directly to your role, helping you enhance your customer service skills and elevate your team’s performance.
Let’s explore what you can learn from each of these books and how these lessons can make you an even more effective leader in the world of customer service.
Book: “Never Split the Difference” by Chris Voss
What You Will Learn:
The Power of Empathetic Communication: Chris Voss’s negotiation techniques emphasize the importance of empathetic listening and communication. Customer service leaders can learn to apply these skills to understand and address customer concerns effectively. Empathy creates a connection, diffuses tension, and leads to better problem resolution.
Tactical Empathy in De-escalation: The book introduces the concept of “tactical empathy,” which is crucial in de-escalating conflicts. Customer service leaders can adopt these techniques to defuse challenging customer interactions, showing understanding and respect while finding common ground for solutions.
Negotiation Skills for Win-Win Solutions: Voss’s strategies highlight the value of creating win-win solutions in negotiations. Customer service leaders can apply these principles to find mutually beneficial resolutions in service-related disputes, resulting in satisfied customers and improved loyalty.
Book: “Never Eat Alone” by Keith Ferrazzi
What You Will Learn:
Building Strong Customer Relationships: Ferrazzi emphasizes the importance of networking and relationship-building. Customer service leaders can learn to extend these principles to their customer base, fostering deeper connections, trust, and long-term relationships with customers.
The Power of Reciprocity: The book discusses the concept of reciprocity, where giving to others often results in receiving in return. Customer service leaders can apply this idea by going the extra mile for customers, providing exceptional service, and, in turn, earning customer loyalty and advocacy.
Leveraging Your Network: Ferrazzi highlights the value of a strong network. Customer service leaders can learn to tap into their professional networks to access resources, insights, and support. By building a network of colleagues and industry peers, they can stay informed about best practices and trends in customer service.
💡 Pro Tips (Learn from the Best):
Leading with Dignity
Dignity, in its purest form, is about recognizing the intrinsic worth of every individual. It’s about acknowledging their humanity and preserving their self-respect, especially when performance difficulties arise. The pages of the book “Dare to Serve” by Cheryl Bachelder shed light on how dignity can be applied, even when faced with the challenge of poor performance among team members. Here are a few key takeaways:
Private Conversations: A Mark of Respect
When a team member faces performance issues, conducting a private, one-on-one dialogue communicates respect for their privacy and inherent worth. These conversations foster an atmosphere of trust, enabling open and honest discussions about the challenges at hand.
The Gift of Specific Examples
Team members facing performance difficulties deserve specific examples that highlight the areas that need improvement. Providing concrete instances helps them gain a deep understanding of their challenges and the steps required for growth. It’s about offering them the clarity they deserve.
The Time to Absorb and Improve
Dignity allows time for reflection and growth. When performance feedback is given, it’s crucial to respect the team member’s need to absorb this feedback and work on personal improvement. Creating realistic timelines that accommodate their learning process showcases your belief in their potential and their right to a fair chance.
📖 Book Club Sessions:
Updates about our book club sessions where we’ll explore thought-provoking leadership literature together. 👀📕
The book club sessions are launching soon! So, come on in, pick up a book, and let’s embark on this incredible journey together: https://rb.gy/f405j
🏋️♂️ Leadership Exercise:
Leadership Exercise: “Diffusing Tension with Labelling”
Introduction: The Labelling Technique
The labelling technique, as described in Chris Voss’s book “Never Split The Difference,” is a powerful tool for diffusing negative emotions and reinforcing positive ones in communication. Labelling involves acknowledging and validating the emotions of others by giving those emotions a name. It’s a way of demonstrating that you understand and empathize with how someone feels in a given situation.
How Labelling Works:
Diffusing Negatives: When someone is upset, tense, or experiencing negative emotions, labelling those emotions can have a calming effect. By articulating what the other person is feeling, you acknowledge their emotions, which can help them feel understood and heard. This, in turn, can de-escalate tension and create a more open and constructive conversation.
Reinforcing Positives: On the flip side, labelling can also reinforce positive emotions. When you label positive emotions such as enthusiasm, satisfaction, or agreement, it acknowledges and amplifies those feelings. It strengthens the emotional connection and encourages more of the same positive emotions in the conversation.
The Labelling Technique Exercise:
Objective: To practice the labelling technique in real-world scenarios and diffuse negative emotions while reinforcing positive ones when dealing with tense colleagues, team members, or customers.
Apply the Labelling Technique: During the interaction, follow these three steps:
Step 1: Detect the other person’s emotional state.
Step 2: Label the emotion aloud. Use phrases like, “It seems like you’re feeling…,” “I understand that you’re experiencing…,” or “You seem to be…”
Step 3: Be silent and listen. Allow the other person to respond and continue the conversation.
Call to Action: Share Your Successes!
Now that you’ve practiced the labelling technique, apply it in real-life situations with your colleagues, team members, or customers. The next time you encounter tension or strong emotions, remember to label those emotions with empathy.
Your Challenge: Take on the “Diffusing Tension with Labelling” challenge in your professional interactions. Then, share your experiences and insights in our “Reader’s Corner.”
I look forward to hearing your success stories and learning from your unique experiences. Your contributions can inspire others to enhance their leadership and communication skills.
Reflection Questions:
What Was the Scenario?: Describe the specific scenario where you applied the labelling technique. Who was involved, and what was the nature of the tension?
How Did You Apply the Technique?: Explain how you applied the labelling technique during the interaction. What words or phrases did you use to label the emotions?
Impact and Outcomes: What changes did you observe in the other person’s emotional state or the direction of the conversation? Did the labelling technique help diffuse tension or build rapport?
What Did You Learn?: Reflect on your experience. What insights did you gain from this exercise? How might you use the labelling technique in future interactions?
Future Applications: Consider how you can incorporate the labelling technique into your leadership approach. How will you use it in future conversations with colleagues, team members, or customers to foster better communication and resolve tense situations?
🌟 Leader of the Month:
Exceptional leadership deserves recognition, and it’s not just about awards — it’s about acknowledging those who lead by example, inspire their team, and truly make a difference. 📚🚀 👀📕 #leadersbookclub
For this month, I nominate Rhoda Abranches, Director Talent & Culture, Queen Elizabeth 2, as Leader of the Month. Beyond the fact that it is her birthday today, Rhoda’s leadership has left an incredible mark on me. She is the most hard-working person I know, consistently led us by example, setting the standard for excellence, and brought out the best in us by dedicating herself to our personal and professional development.
Now it’s your turn! Who will be the next Leader of the Month, inspiring us all with their exceptional leadership? Nominate a leader today by sending your entry here: https://forms.gle/tsvkrbwauYgekggTA
⚠️ Submission Deadline: Please submit your nomination by the 20th of each month for inclusion in the upcoming newsletter, which will be published during the first week of the following month. At the end of each month, one outstanding leader will be featured in the next edition. 👏
📣 Reader’s Corner: Your Leadership Questions Answered
While we didn’t receive specific questions from our readers this time, I’m excited to share valuable Q&As from the Quora community and encourage your future participation.
Leadership Q&As on Quora
Question 1: “ What are the best ways to manage through change?”
My Answer: Change is a constant in life, and it often brings uncertainty and discomfort. However, it’s during these moments that we have the greatest opportunity to grow and evolve. The best way to manage change is to embrace it with the understanding that challenges are the stepping stones to growth and progress. In the words of the wise, ‘The best way to move through challenging times is to move forward
Question 2: “ Is a completed book reader a great leader?”
My Answer: Certainly, the act of reading books can be a valuable source of knowledge and insights for aspiring leaders, but it’s crucial to emphasize that to become a great leader, one must not only acquire knowledge but also apply and practice what they learn. Effective leadership is about translating knowledge into action and demonstrating the qualities and skills acquired through reading.
Question 3: “ How long does it take for a person to become an effective leader after joining a leadership course?
My Answer: Leadership is an ongoing learning journey, and while joining a leadership course is a valuable step, becoming an effective leader requires continuous learning and development. As Simon Sinek has wisely said, “The best leaders are students of leadership; they are constantly reading books, and articles, watching talks, having conversations all the time about leadership, they are always in learning mode.”.
Join the Conversation
I value your input and questions! If you have leadership inquiries or face specific challenges in your leadership journey, don’t hesitate to reach out. Comment your leadership questions below or feel free to reach out to me via email at vera@poiotes-consulting.ae
I look forward to hearing from you and sharing your queries in our upcoming newsletters.
Stay curious, stay engaged, and keep leading with purpose!
Thank you for being part of this journey with me.
Warm regards,
Vera Tsolaridou
Founder | Leader | Writer
