"Difficult People, Difficult Situations. . . Demand Someone Like
YOU!"
By Kathryne Anne Pusch- BBN Affiliate, Atlanta,
Georgia
If selling
businesses were easy, everyone would be doing it, right? The
turnover in the industry alone is a sufficient indicator of the
difficulty of succeeding in business brokerage. Business brokers
specialize in dealing with complicated, often difficult situations,
and with the people embroiled in those complex situations. Who
could blame these people for sometimes seeming “difficult?” That’s
why YOU are needed! This is a demanding profession that requires
you to be on your toes every day. Who knows how many deal crises
could be resolved if YOU were willing and able to do a bit of crisis
management with your broker’s tool kit.
So, what does it
take to be ready for effectively dealing with difficult people &
difficult situations?
Ø You
need to be well (and continually) educated to keep abreast of all
the available financial, marketing, and analytical tools,
techniques and resources. Take advantage of any opportunities
available to you to improve your knowledge base and skill set. BBN
has educational classes and conferences, of course. There is
continuing ed available thru traditional educational institutions,
as well as professional associations. Your ongoing education
should include “free” opportunities such regularly scheduled
local or regional business or community meetings. Do not discount
the everyday opportunities to learn from your peers, your Broker, a
BBN mentor, other BBN Members (who are always ready to freely share
their wisdom), and even your clients and their advisors. And
read! There are books on everything from understanding financial
statements to surviving self-employment.
Ø You
need to be creative in your thinking, so that you can flexibly adapt
to the diverse situations and individuals presented to you each
day. Do not be stuck in “one way, my way” thinking.It will not get
you much farther than your own bathroom each morning.
Ø You
need to be patient with potential clients, with sellers, with
buyers, with lenders, with other brokers. Then you need to be
patient some more. And when you think you have been as patient as
you can be, be patient a bit more.
Ø While
you are being patient, you must be listening. While you are
listening, you must be really hearing what that person is trying to
tell you, even if they are having some difficulty expressing it in
words. Call on your empathic skills.
Ø And
while you are being patient, and listening, hopefully you are using
your time wisely. Are you sitting still, appearing to listen, but
feeling agitated and aggravated, and impatient on the inside? Are
you just waiting to tell the other person what you think. Stop
that! You are capable of not reacting. Just listen and focus on
what is being said.
Ø If
you are a global thinker, or multi-tasking, as many business brokers
are, you are capable of processing, and thinking of alternative
solutions during that patient listening period. If you are a linear
thinker, and a single task focus person, you may need to take some
time to process what you have heard. If you are not willing to
avoid that instant reaction response and focus on the resolution,
you are cheating yourself and your clients.
Many people, even
the “ultimate” BBN brokers, have trouble dealing with people who
are upset or angry. Unfortunately, business deals are just full of
opportunities for people to get upset or angry! There are specific
activities that you can practice to deal with these situations.
This process may not feel natural at first, but think of it as a new
tool that will fit comfortably in your broker tool kit after you
have practiced using it. You can do it, and it is worth the
practice:
1. Listen
actively for specific words & phrases used by the upset person to
express themselves. Do not react, defend, or judge. Be patient &
listen.
2. Repeat
back to the person what you heard them say, starting with words
like, “So, you are saying that..” and then repeating what the person
said using their words and phrases. They will now know that you were
actually listening to them, and that you understand their problem.
This goes a long way towards calming the person. A state of calm
will make them easier to effectively deal with because it greatly
increases the likelihood that they will listen to you.
3. Focus
on a resolution. You have now communicated that you heard and
understand the issues. You do not need to tell them that you think
they are wrong to solve the problem. If you want to resolve this
productively, resist your prideful urge to disagree and agitate the
person you have just calmed.
4. When
you think you know what will make this person “happy” in terms of
their dissatisfaction, state it for them in a simple and positive
way. What do they need? Do not go on until you have agreement as to
what the problems or issues are.
5. Your
training, education, and flexibility will now allow you to outline
some corrective actions to address the issues. There may be
immediate actions, near term actions, and long-term actions
required. After all, we are often dealing with complex
situations. State clearly and positively, what you are prepared to
do to resolve the issues and help the angry or upset person.
6. Wait
patiently for a response. Hopefully, this will be positive. You have
“saved the day,” and converted a potential detractor to another
loyal fan. If it is not positive, you have a decision to make. Do
you want to continue this exercise, trying to pacify this person? Or
do you draw the line? If your intelligence, experience, and
discretion tell you that your time and resources are better spent
elsewhere, make your last offer of remedy, and be prepared to act
accordingly.
Good job!
Hopefully, leading to a good deal. If it doesn’t work this time, it
will the next. Just be patient and use every tool you have in your
ever-expanding Broker’s Tool Kit.
Kathryne Anne Pusch
BBN Atlanta, GA
President, ConsultKAP, Inc.
kap@consultkap.com
770-918-9390
