Today I’m thinking about micro-responses and how they can make or break your business relationships (and therefore your career).
A Business Relationships Story:
The other day at a store, I said to the clerk, “Hey, I’m hoping you can help me with something.” Before responding to me, she closed her eyes, lowered her head, and let out a quick breath through her nose. Then she looked at me and said, “Sure. How can I help you?” I instantly wished I hadn’t gone into that store. Our business relationship was in bad shape.
Above, I wrote that she closed her eyes, lowered, her head and exhaled “before” she responded to me. That wasn’t really true. That body language was her first response. And it was a foundational moment for our relationship.
We humans are, “meaning making machines,” so of course I interpreted that micro-response in my mind. To me it meant, “I don’t want to help you. Don’t bother me.” That response and the meaning I took from it had a more profound effect on my experience than her spoken response, “Sure. How can I help you.” I believed her non-verbals more than I believed her words.
It’s never about the thing. It’s always about the relationship.
The store clerk was willing to help me. She did help me. And even so, she tore down the business relationship with her initial micro-response.
A Take Away:
Micro-responses can tear down the relationship, and they can also build it up. How often do you smile at the people you work with when you encounter them? How often do you approach their requests with an attitude of “yes”?
Micro-responses that tear down relationships:
- Sighs
- “Oh no”
- Frowning
- Head shaking
- Avoiding eye contact
- Etc.
Micro-responses that build up relationships:
- Smiles
- Nodding
- “Uh-huh”
- Eye-contact
- Slightly raised eyebrows
- Etc.
These micro-responses are pre-conscious and reflect the thoughts you have about the situation (or person) presenting itself. You can’t necessarily control micro-responses in the moment because they come before you know it. You can, however, notice them as they come or afterward, and instruct yourself in how you want to respond for the future.
And if you’ve made a destructive micro-response, you can apologize for the impulsive reaction. An apology, when it’s called for, is a powerful relationship builder.
You can ask those around you to give you feedback specifically about your pre-conscious micro-responses and enlist them in your effort to improve your collaborative ability.
Something to Practice:
You can give yourself instruction and deliberately apply your awareness in advance of the situations where micro-responses come up. Some of those may include:
- When someone makes a request of you
- When someone comes unannounced to your work space
- When you encounter someone when walking through the office
- When someone gives you feedback — corrective or congratulatory
- When someone asks you for a status report
- When someone tells you about their personal life, or asks you about yours
Keep track. Prepare to build your business relationships. When you catch yourself tearing down the relationship, make a quick apology and move on.
The greatest benefit of this awareness and discipline… You can change your own attitude through this practice, and improve your own outlook, morale, and value in your organization.Today I’m thinking about micro-responses and how they can make or break your business relationships (and therefore your career).
A Business Relationships Story:
The other day at a store, I said to the clerk, “Hey, I’m hoping you can help me with something.” Before responding to me, she closed her eyes, lowered her head, and let out a quick breath through her nose. Then she looked at me and said, “Sure. How can I help you?” I instantly wished I hadn’t gone into that store. Our business relationship was in bad shape.
Above, I wrote that she closed her eyes, lowered, her head and exhaled “before” she responded to me. That wasn’t really true. That body language was her first response. And it was a foundational moment for our relationship.
We humans are, “meaning making machines,” so of course I interpreted that micro-response in my mind. To me it meant, “I don’t want to help you. Don’t bother me.” That response and the meaning I took from it had a more profound effect on my experience than her spoken response, “Sure. How can I help you.” I believed her non-verbals more than I believed her words.
It’s never about the thing. It’s always about the relationship.
The store clerk was willing to help me. She did help me. And even so, she tore down the business relationship with her initial micro-response.
A Take Away:
Micro-responses can tear down the relationship, and they can also build it up. How often do you smile at the people you work with when you encounter them? How often do you approach their requests with an attitude of “yes”?
Micro-responses that tear down relationships:
- Sighs
- “Oh no”
- Frowning
- Head shaking
- Avoiding eye contact
- Etc.
Micro-responses that build up relationships:
- Smiles
- Nodding
- “Uh-huh”
- Eye-contact
- Slightly raised eyebrows
- Etc.
These micro-responses are pre-conscious and reflect the thoughts you have about the situation (or person) presenting itself. You can’t necessarily control micro-responses in the moment because they come before you know it. You can, however, notice them as they come or afterward, and instruct yourself in how you want to respond for the future.
And if you’ve made a destructive micro-response, you can apologize for the impulsive reaction. An apology, when it’s called for, is a powerful relationship builder.
You can ask those around you to give you feedback specifically about your pre-conscious micro-responses and enlist them in your effort to improve your collaborative ability.
Something to Practice:
You can give yourself instruction and deliberately apply your awareness in advance of the situations where micro-responses come up. Some of those may include:
- When someone makes a request of you
- When someone comes unannounced to your work space
- When you encounter someone when walking through the office
- When someone gives you feedback — corrective or congratulatory
- When someone asks you for a status report
- When someone tells you about their personal life, or asks you about yours
Keep track. Prepare to build your business relationships. When you catch yourself tearing down the relationship, make a quick apology and move on.
The greatest benefit of this awareness and discipline… You can change your own attitude through this practice, and improve your own outlook, morale, and value in your organization.