Creating Connections is a three-part blog series. Part 1 explores how employers speak with their employees about utilizing our services.
A business owner emailed me last week with a frequently asked question. “What’s the best way to tell my employee that I’m hiring you to work with her?”
While some of our clients are direct connections—a person calls our company and we provide training to that person—most of our clients are part of a business triangle. The sponsor is at one point of the triangle, and pays for the training. The person who receives the training, known as the client, is at the second point of the triangle. Our company completes the third point by providing training to the client and receiving payment from the sponsor. It is a relatively simple design when all points are on the same page and communicating well. Yet, challenges with communication are often what lead people to seek out our services in the first place.
In this blog, the first in a series of three, we’ll provide sponsors with tips and strategies to begin the conversation with employees who would benefit from working with our company. In part two, we’ll address how prospective clients can approach their employers with a request to work with our company. In the third part of the series, we’ll share a few of the behind-the-scenes reasons people choose to engage with Express Yourself Write.
Okay sponsors–this part is for you. No matter how confident or oblivious your employee may seem, if you see a problem in your employee’s written or spoken communication, chances are high that your employee is struggling, albeit quietly, with this same issue. Even the most competent writers and speakers experience challenges with writing and would gladly accept help from someone who promises to make the process easier. The language you choose to open the conversation determines how the conversation will go.
- Before you say anything, get clear on what your employees’ ‘pain points’ are. Do they have a hard time completing long reports? Do they freeze when you ask them to do a particular task? What do they see as the most painful part of their job?
- Tell your employee how much value they bring to your organization by acknowledging several of the things they are doing well. Be sincere, and tell them why you are invested in their professional development.
- Focus on the opportunity for growth rather than what you hope to fix. Invite the employee into the process. You might say, “This company has a great track record with (insert the solution to their pain point here). I thought of you and wondered if you might be interested in seeing what they have to offer.”
- Share a story about how you have benefitted from a similar experience. Many of our clients have sponsors who choose to share their own personal path to success with their employees. Sponsors often credit their current performance to the fact they received training and support along the way.
- The most successful engagements are ones in which employees feel empowered and motivated. Ask an open-ended question that gives your employees an opportunity to express interest in the process.You might ask, “What are your thoughts on learning more about what this company offers?” If they respond with hesitation rather than enthusiasm, let them know you are willing to gather additional information about how our company addresses the concerns they have expressed.
By offering employees an opportunity to receive additional training, you send a strong message about how much you value and appreciate their current contribution. Recognizing your employees’ perspectives, sharing sincere acknowledgments, and creating open dialogues about the services of our company are all essential in setting the tone for a positive, productive, and effective engagement.
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