Key # 4
Keys to a Go-Ahead
4. Emotional Re-assurance:
Provide emotional support to make clients feel comfortable:
a. Spend a few minutes to make clients feel special.
b. Empathy is a powerful bonding tool; “This is a difficult decision. How can I help?”
c. “Would you feel better, if…………”
d. “Are you comfortable with……….”
e. Safety in numbers: “I had the same discussion with….. “Would you like to know what finally pushed their decision over the top? They found that……..”
f. Develop internal representatives. However, they must be emotional-involved and must be willing to tell others why they should like it, too. Ask them Solution Questions, like:
- “Mr/Ms client: “How do think this solution will benefit your specific environment?”
- “Mr/Ms client: ”How would you compare my solution to other alternatives?”
- “What would you do if a committee member objects to our proposal?”
If they hesitate, coach them in answering those questions favorably to you.
g. Offer to participate in the decision. Replace the word you by we in each question:
- “Is there anything we should be doing differently?”
- “How should we make this internal change palatable to the others?”
