10/4 2011
Posted in: Coaching, Communication Behaviors
Acknowledging is such a powerful communication behavior! I was in a team coaching session yesterday and we were taking a deep dive into why acknowledging is so important and I thought I would share a few tidbits of that session with you. Look for a few posts related to this behavior. The first step to doing this behavior well is to understand why it is important. So today, let’s talk about why acknowledging is important to a relationship.
The reasons why acknowledging is important…
- People (customer, employees, co-workers, family members and EVERYONE) want to know that you heard them. The very basic reason why we acknowledge is to let the other person know that you heard them. If you don’t ackcnowledge, they may think you didn’t hear them and then they may get frustrated, they may continue to repeat the problem or they may feel ignored or feel as if you really don’t care.
- Strong acknowedging statements puts power and passion behind your words and it demonstrates your conviction. If I were just to say, “OK”, you would feel as though your request were really not important. But if I were to say, “Absolutely. I am so glad you asked. I’m on it right away!” You would feel a different level of commitment from me that would impress you and assure you that your needs matter to me.
- Acknowledging calms people down by relating to their emotional needs. If someone called me and said, “I am SO frustrated and I just need SOMEONE to give me some ANSWERS”. If I were to say, “I can answer your questions” I would immediately be moving to their physical need but I would be jumping right over their emotional needs. Acknowledging is a way to relieve pressure from a situation, calm someone down and reassure them of your commitment – not just the commitment to doing your job, but a commitment to enhancing the value of the relationship. You may get someone’s problem solved, but if they don’t feel that you were also concerned with lowering their emotional blood pressure, they will not be as loyal to a long term relationship.
From your perspective, do you want to be heard? Do you want to know that someone else is as concerned with your issue as you are? Do you want someone to help you through the emotional ups and downs of life and not just solve your problems? This is what most people want. When we do a good job as leaders of acknowledging our employees, they will be more caring and responsive toward your customers and toward others in your organization.
Remember that one of your jobs as a leader is to build a sense of community. Community is built on shared values and common grounds. Acknowledging is a key behavior in creating synergy between people and connecting ther values. How good are you at acknowledging others when you communicate?
MOMENT OF REFLECTION
Do I see the value of acknowledging? When I interract with others, do I genuinely respond to their needs? Do I show them that they matter to me?
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