The First Key to Becoming a Magnet of Cooperation & Productivity

“Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. The friends who listen to us are the ones we move toward. When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand.”

– Karl Menninger

What would it be worth to have a 30-40% increase of productivity and cooperation from those you work with? What if by increasing this cooperation and productivity you double your sales, or beat the deadline of a project, qualify for bonuses, and perhaps most important be able to really connect and create a deep understanding with those you care for most?

Imagine a room that has a glass door. In the room you see the person that you want to connect with. The room where they are is their world, the place you must be invited into if you are to release their cooperation, skill sets, and experience for the success of your team. You now notice that the door has two locks that require two different keys and has no outside handle. It can only be opened by the person on the inside once the door is unlocked by you. You must find the right keys.

What is the door, and how do we find the keys? How do we communicate effectively so that the person inside will open the door?

The Door: Represents the barrier between you and the person inside. Even though you can see the person and they can see you there must be a reason for them to open their door.

Key # One: Is discovered by listening to their comments and statements followed by asking genuine, intuitive questions. These statements and comments (keys) can even seem like objections that may be caustic or hurtful.   You must listen very closely to what they are really saying.

Examples of Key # One:

• I am having a very stressful day today.

• I don’t understand why we have to …..

• You are crazy if you think that will work!

• I am very excited with what happened just now!

Many times you can find these keys by their emotions and expressions as they speak.

You can ignore their statements and continue on with what you are doing. Maybe you even get offended, or brush them off. If you do, you have missed the opportunity to enter into their world where they want to feel understood. The other option is to pick up key number two which I describe in my next blog.