Page 123 - The Voice of Authority

your team as a project leader, with your boss, with your
customer, with your strategic partners. People believe
people they like. That’s not a news bulletin.
Just as many roads lead to success in the workplace,
many different personalities attract followers. But the fol-
lowing traits seem universally to attract people and open
their minds and hearts.

Show Your Humanity—Be Vulnerable

In speaker training 101, people learn to tell failure stories
before success stories. Generally, audiences have more in
common with those who struggle than with those who suc-
ceed in life.
If you worry about whether your teen will graduate from
high school without getting involved with the wrong
group, say so. If your father-in-law drove you nuts during
the holiday weekend, it’s okay to mention to your col-
leagues on Monday morning that you might not have been
the storybook spouse.

If you lose a customer, regret it rather than excuse it.
If you miss a deadline, repair the damage and catch up.
If you miss a payment, make it, with interest.
If you make a mistake, own up to it and correct it.
If you misjudge someone, apologize and make
amends.

People respond to humans much more favorably than
to machines. When you communicate with colleagues,
never fear to let them see your humanity.

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