WEBVTT 00:00:16.839 --> 00:00:20.519 Welcome to Networking Unleashed, Building Profitable 00:00:20.519 --> 00:00:24.179 Connections, the show where you go beyond handshakes 00:00:24.179 --> 00:00:27.620 and hellos to unlock the real power of relationships 00:00:27.620 --> 00:00:31.120 in business. I'm your host, Michael Foreman, 00:00:31.179 --> 00:00:34.439 and today we're exploring a topic that's changing 00:00:34.439 --> 00:00:38.079 the way we lead, serve, and connect, psychological 00:00:38.079 --> 00:00:42.420 safety and compassionate communication. My guest 00:00:42.420 --> 00:00:45.299 is an expert in creating emotionally safe... 00:00:45.560 --> 00:00:48.420 workplaces, and delivering service with heart. 00:00:48.719 --> 00:00:51.880 And here's why that matters. The best connections, 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:55.039 whether with coworkers, customers, or colleagues, 00:00:55.299 --> 00:00:59.159 only happen when people feel safe, seen, and 00:00:59.159 --> 00:01:03.460 supported. We're diving into how kindness, empathy, 00:01:03.659 --> 00:01:07.400 and trust aren't just soft skills, they're strategic 00:01:07.400 --> 00:01:11.719 advantages in today's business world. So if you're 00:01:11.719 --> 00:01:14.870 ready. If you're ready to build deeper connections, 00:01:15.170 --> 00:01:19.849 create safer spaces, and unlock the kind of networking 00:01:19.849 --> 00:01:23.409 that drives real results, this episode is for 00:01:23.409 --> 00:01:26.430 you. I'd like to welcome to the show today, Bruno 00:01:26.430 --> 00:01:29.790 Signac. I can't pronounce the last name. I'm 00:01:29.790 --> 00:01:32.170 going to have you do it. All right. So I would 00:01:32.170 --> 00:01:34.469 just like to welcome to the podcast. And Bruno, 00:01:34.650 --> 00:01:36.689 why don't you give us a little about your background. 00:01:36.849 --> 00:01:39.650 First, give us the correct pronunciation of your 00:01:39.650 --> 00:01:41.890 last name, and then tell us about your background. 00:01:42.540 --> 00:01:45.200 Thank you very much. The surname is very difficult. 00:01:45.459 --> 00:01:48.659 It's an Italian surname. It's Signaco. Signaco. 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:50.920 And thank you, Michael, for your invite. I feel 00:01:50.920 --> 00:01:53.739 very honored to be here. A bit about my background. 00:01:53.920 --> 00:01:56.799 I have a PhD in management with focus on international 00:01:56.799 --> 00:01:59.659 marketing. I have been advising companies for 00:01:59.659 --> 00:02:02.680 more than 30 years on international marketing 00:02:02.680 --> 00:02:05.400 and lately over the last few years on compassionate 00:02:05.400 --> 00:02:08.319 business. I'm a university professor and best 00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:10.680 -selling author. My latest book is titled The 00:02:10.680 --> 00:02:12.639 Art of Compassionate Business, published by Ruth 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:15.379 Leach in its second edition, and I'm very hopeful 00:02:15.379 --> 00:02:18.500 that this interview will be amazing and insightful. 00:02:18.740 --> 00:02:21.039 Thank you very much again for your invite. I 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:23.819 hope it's going to be that way too. Okay, so 00:02:23.819 --> 00:02:26.699 let's jump right into the questions. How does 00:02:26.699 --> 00:02:30.879 creating a psychologically safe workspace improve 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:34.240 internal networking and collaboration amongst 00:02:34.240 --> 00:02:38.210 teams? Very important question. Psychologically 00:02:38.210 --> 00:02:40.689 safe workplace, let's define this term that is 00:02:40.689 --> 00:02:43.229 a bit technical for some of the listeners. For 00:02:43.229 --> 00:02:45.349 example, psychologically safe workplace implies 00:02:45.349 --> 00:02:49.550 a work environment where employees can feel supported. 00:02:50.030 --> 00:02:53.710 They can express their voice without being ridiculed 00:02:53.710 --> 00:02:58.150 or censored. In this workplace, people are playing 00:02:58.150 --> 00:03:01.330 a lot of what we call positive side of politics, 00:03:01.509 --> 00:03:03.430 non -negative side of politics, which implies 00:03:03.430 --> 00:03:06.990 supporting each other. trusting each other, sharing 00:03:06.990 --> 00:03:09.409 resources. And in this workplace, you don't see 00:03:09.409 --> 00:03:12.389 the negative side of politics, which is one -upmanship, 00:03:12.729 --> 00:03:16.550 for example, slandering or any other type of 00:03:16.550 --> 00:03:19.270 turf wars, for example. And in this workplace, 00:03:19.409 --> 00:03:22.389 people feel free to express their voice. In some 00:03:22.389 --> 00:03:25.050 cases, they feel free also to express their voice 00:03:25.050 --> 00:03:28.090 in a very innovative way, proposing non -traditional 00:03:28.090 --> 00:03:31.389 ideas. And these people feel assisted when they 00:03:31.389 --> 00:03:33.810 have any problems. And in this workplace, you... 00:03:34.030 --> 00:03:37.110 usually see a lot of activities that are very 00:03:37.110 --> 00:03:39.710 supportive, such as coaching, mentoring, training 00:03:39.710 --> 00:03:42.830 on the job, shadowing. And in this workplace, 00:03:43.090 --> 00:03:45.830 according to research, when you develop a psychologically 00:03:45.830 --> 00:03:48.870 safe workplace, employees tend to be much more 00:03:48.870 --> 00:03:51.849 satisfied. Customers tend to be more satisfied 00:03:51.849 --> 00:03:54.789 too. Why? Because employees that are happy tend 00:03:54.789 --> 00:03:58.370 to serve customers more effectively. These workplaces 00:03:58.370 --> 00:04:01.780 have also lower stress levels. They have higher 00:04:01.780 --> 00:04:04.599 productivity, they have lower absenteeism, they 00:04:04.599 --> 00:04:07.620 have lower turnover, and this impacts positively 00:04:07.620 --> 00:04:10.719 on the bottom line. Why? Because when employees 00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:13.759 are satisfied, they are more prone to give their 00:04:13.759 --> 00:04:16.959 best, to work in an unconditional way, and to 00:04:16.959 --> 00:04:19.980 contribute to, for example, collective projects 00:04:19.980 --> 00:04:22.579 in a much more insightful and meaningful way. 00:04:22.779 --> 00:04:25.699 How do you develop these workplaces? First off, 00:04:25.779 --> 00:04:28.350 we have to understand that this... Workplaces 00:04:28.350 --> 00:04:32.170 are trust -based workplaces. And how do you develop 00:04:32.170 --> 00:04:35.509 trust? Trust takes some time to develop, but 00:04:35.509 --> 00:04:38.110 there are simple tips. For example, developing 00:04:38.110 --> 00:04:42.230 meaningful communication, interaction within 00:04:42.230 --> 00:04:45.470 the workplace. which implies in some cases asking, 00:04:45.670 --> 00:04:48.189 for example, how colleagues feel. There is an 00:04:48.189 --> 00:04:50.310 interesting research paper that observes that 00:04:50.310 --> 00:04:53.970 when you're working for a company with your colleagues 00:04:53.970 --> 00:04:56.329 and you observe that one of your colleagues is 00:04:56.329 --> 00:04:59.930 feeling a bit down, feeling a bit sad or in a 00:04:59.930 --> 00:05:03.089 bad mood, by asking a simple question, how they 00:05:03.089 --> 00:05:05.970 feel, or, for example, telling them that you 00:05:05.970 --> 00:05:08.610 assume that they're feeling a bit not so well, 00:05:08.750 --> 00:05:11.810 if you can help them, by this simple interaction. 00:05:12.430 --> 00:05:16.050 You can build trust. Why? Because you show interest 00:05:16.050 --> 00:05:18.750 in them, you show empathy and you show compassion 00:05:18.750 --> 00:05:22.170 for their problems. But also in these workplaces, 00:05:22.269 --> 00:05:26.509 people tend to look for agreements within the 00:05:26.509 --> 00:05:29.149 workplace that are win -win. This means that 00:05:29.149 --> 00:05:31.810 nobody is winning at the expense of others. This 00:05:31.810 --> 00:05:35.310 is quite relevant. Why? Because in many business 00:05:35.310 --> 00:05:38.029 environments and workplaces that people, in many 00:05:38.029 --> 00:05:40.550 cases, try to take advantage with their companies. 00:05:41.259 --> 00:05:43.500 take advantage of customers or take advantage 00:05:43.500 --> 00:05:46.399 of employees or take advantage of business partners. 00:05:46.620 --> 00:05:49.720 And these win -lose relationships or win -lose 00:05:49.720 --> 00:05:53.079 agreements tend to break up the bonds with these 00:05:53.079 --> 00:05:57.459 stakeholders. Another simple way to develop a 00:05:57.459 --> 00:06:00.360 very important trust -based environment in the 00:06:00.360 --> 00:06:03.639 workplace will be, for example, nurturing what 00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:07.540 I call in my book the qualitative aspect of business. 00:06:07.639 --> 00:06:09.480 Because in business there are two main aspects. 00:06:10.190 --> 00:06:12.870 Quantitative aspects, what can be measured, such 00:06:12.870 --> 00:06:16.029 as profit, market share, productivity, this can 00:06:16.029 --> 00:06:18.569 be measured in a very precise way. It can be 00:06:18.569 --> 00:06:20.829 counted very precisely. It can be compared, for 00:06:20.829 --> 00:06:24.189 example, interannually. But the qualitative aspects 00:06:24.189 --> 00:06:27.209 of business are as fundamental as the quantitative. 00:06:27.529 --> 00:06:30.009 What are the qualitative aspects of business? 00:06:30.069 --> 00:06:33.769 They include generosity, support, gratitude, 00:06:34.149 --> 00:06:37.610 care, empathy, compassion. And why these are 00:06:37.610 --> 00:06:42.209 so important? When you embrace these values, 00:06:42.350 --> 00:06:44.829 when you embrace these principles, you nurture 00:06:44.829 --> 00:06:47.009 this relationship with this stakeholder, with 00:06:47.009 --> 00:06:49.970 your colleagues, with customers. And we have 00:06:49.970 --> 00:06:52.629 to understand that in business, the most important 00:06:52.629 --> 00:06:57.449 factor is the building of relationship, strong, 00:06:57.610 --> 00:06:59.569 long -lasting relationship with different stakeholders 00:06:59.569 --> 00:07:02.129 within the company, employees, management, and 00:07:02.129 --> 00:07:04.990 outside the company, customer, supplier, business 00:07:04.990 --> 00:07:07.870 partner, community members. So focusing on... 00:07:08.300 --> 00:07:10.699 qualitative aspect of business that we call also 00:07:10.699 --> 00:07:13.779 relational aspect and quantitative aspect of 00:07:13.779 --> 00:07:17.399 business. Many companies focus only on the quantitative 00:07:17.399 --> 00:07:19.639 aspect of business. They try to obtain profit, 00:07:19.959 --> 00:07:22.680 productivity, market share, in some cases by 00:07:22.680 --> 00:07:25.600 all means, to the detriment of the relation. 00:07:25.899 --> 00:07:30.850 The days of the quantity is really... passe. 00:07:31.470 --> 00:07:34.389 It's the quality of the relationships. You hit 00:07:34.389 --> 00:07:37.709 on so many points for networking. Know you, you 00:07:37.709 --> 00:07:40.569 trust you, they'll do business with you. It's 00:07:40.569 --> 00:07:43.089 the creating the relationships, not just the 00:07:43.089 --> 00:07:46.470 clients. So not just the customers. So there's 00:07:46.470 --> 00:07:49.709 a whole lot, what you just said, but I have more 00:07:49.709 --> 00:07:51.170 questions. So we're going to go into a little 00:07:51.170 --> 00:07:54.689 bit further. What role does compassionate communication 00:07:55.819 --> 00:08:00.579 play in networking, and how can it be a competitive 00:08:00.579 --> 00:08:04.879 advantage in business? Very important. Compassion, 00:08:04.879 --> 00:08:07.160 communication, compassion and communication implies 00:08:07.160 --> 00:08:10.000 that let's define compassion first. Compassion 00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:12.720 is when you interact with others, you understand 00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:17.220 how they think, you understand how they feel, 00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:21.060 and you try to help them whenever possible, especially 00:08:21.060 --> 00:08:25.050 when others face difficult circumstances. For 00:08:25.050 --> 00:08:29.170 example, let's imagine that the supplier delays 00:08:29.170 --> 00:08:32.870 the delivery of goods to your company. And in 00:08:32.870 --> 00:08:35.570 the supplier, you have signed before a contract 00:08:35.570 --> 00:08:38.029 with the supplier. If you are not compassionate 00:08:38.029 --> 00:08:41.129 with the supplier, you will try to penalize the 00:08:41.129 --> 00:08:44.110 supplier for having delivered this good late. 00:08:44.840 --> 00:08:47.379 But if you are compassionate, you will relate 00:08:47.379 --> 00:08:49.700 to the supplier one -to -one, if possible in 00:08:49.700 --> 00:08:51.620 person, you will talk to the representative of 00:08:51.620 --> 00:08:53.879 the supplier to understand what difficulties 00:08:53.879 --> 00:08:57.720 they face. in this last delivery in order to 00:08:57.720 --> 00:09:00.799 help them, because you try to preserve the relationship 00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:03.039 and try to brighten this relationship with the 00:09:03.039 --> 00:09:06.100 supplier. You don't try to apply, literally define 00:09:06.100 --> 00:09:09.039 a print of the contract, because if you do, you 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:11.299 might get the penalty from the supplier, but 00:09:11.299 --> 00:09:13.759 you will break up the relationship. You try to 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:16.220 preserve the relational aspect. This is quite 00:09:16.220 --> 00:09:18.820 important. There is a very interesting study 00:09:18.820 --> 00:09:21.519 that observed that in the health sector, for 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:25.110 example, health care sector, When doctors have 00:09:25.110 --> 00:09:29.429 a compassionate conversation before these patients 00:09:29.429 --> 00:09:33.669 are to be operated, go through surgery, one minute 00:09:33.669 --> 00:09:36.549 conversation, this patient during the operation 00:09:36.549 --> 00:09:39.649 process, during the surgery, has less anesthesia, 00:09:39.730 --> 00:09:43.289 they need less anesthesia, and they need less 00:09:43.289 --> 00:09:47.350 recovery time after the operation. Why? because 00:09:47.350 --> 00:09:49.789 they feel less stress, they feel more supported. 00:09:49.950 --> 00:09:53.070 One minute interaction only, this means understanding 00:09:53.070 --> 00:09:56.090 how they feel, how you can help them, try to 00:09:56.090 --> 00:09:58.730 help them soothe themselves. And this is quite 00:09:58.730 --> 00:10:01.450 important because compassionate is not only being 00:10:01.450 --> 00:10:04.909 nice to people, but it's bringing about a positive 00:10:04.909 --> 00:10:07.990 cycle of reciprocity. You try to support people, 00:10:08.190 --> 00:10:10.570 you try to understand, you try to connect and 00:10:10.570 --> 00:10:13.710 build deep rapport. And in return... You are 00:10:13.710 --> 00:10:15.830 more likely to receive a reciprocal treatment. 00:10:15.870 --> 00:10:17.610 Why? Because people, when they're supported, 00:10:17.769 --> 00:10:20.169 they're more prone to contribute spontaneously 00:10:20.169 --> 00:10:23.090 and conditionally. You can afford them to cooperate, 00:10:23.409 --> 00:10:25.289 but they're more prone to cooperate when you 00:10:25.289 --> 00:10:27.570 try to help them. Because when you help them, 00:10:27.590 --> 00:10:30.970 you help yourself. Because everything is interdependent 00:10:30.970 --> 00:10:33.309 in business. You cannot succeed without them 00:10:33.309 --> 00:10:37.629 and vice versa. Okay. Okay. So you speak about 00:10:37.629 --> 00:10:41.649 compassionate customer service. How can that 00:10:41.649 --> 00:10:45.389 same mindset be used when approaching new clients, 00:10:45.529 --> 00:10:49.669 partners, or networking opportunities? Very interesting. 00:10:49.850 --> 00:10:51.970 Compassionate customer service implies that you 00:10:51.970 --> 00:10:56.450 adopt an attitude of service. You try to add 00:10:56.450 --> 00:10:58.830 value. This means that instead of focusing on 00:10:58.830 --> 00:11:02.429 yourself as a seller, as a salesperson, you focus 00:11:02.429 --> 00:11:05.830 on them. You are customer -oriented. This means 00:11:05.830 --> 00:11:08.649 that you will try first to discover what are 00:11:08.649 --> 00:11:11.820 the specific unique needs that they have. not 00:11:11.820 --> 00:11:14.240 only need regarding the product, but for example, 00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:16.480 what we call emotional needs. In some cases, 00:11:16.519 --> 00:11:19.360 this customer to buy the product needs some reassurance. 00:11:19.399 --> 00:11:21.720 Maybe you can provide with some guarantee or 00:11:21.720 --> 00:11:24.220 maybe they need a trial period. They are not 00:11:24.220 --> 00:11:26.799 very sure. So you try to support them, not only 00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:29.600 offering the best product that is adequate for 00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:32.279 them and might not be suitable for other customers. 00:11:32.519 --> 00:11:36.100 And in some cases also implies that you interact. 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:39.960 regularly with this customer, making them feel 00:11:39.960 --> 00:11:43.100 positive emotion before they buy the product, 00:11:43.240 --> 00:11:45.759 during the buying process, and after they buy 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:48.460 the process. We call this interaction touch points. 00:11:48.799 --> 00:11:51.100 Every time that you interact with customers through 00:11:51.100 --> 00:11:55.000 emails, phone calls, in person, through the website, 00:11:55.240 --> 00:11:58.120 these are touch points. Every touch point should 00:11:58.120 --> 00:12:01.840 bring about positive emotions in customers because 00:12:01.840 --> 00:12:04.299 when you do, this customer is more prone to feel 00:12:04.299 --> 00:12:06.960 satisfied. which is related to positive emotion. 00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:10.120 And it's more prone to become loyal, committed 00:12:10.120 --> 00:12:12.899 to your company. And it's more prone to the positive 00:12:12.899 --> 00:12:15.460 reviews. Instead, one of these interactions, 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:18.059 customer experience a negative emotion, well, 00:12:18.200 --> 00:12:21.779 this customer is more prone to leave your company 00:12:21.779 --> 00:12:24.799 or doubt or trying to return the product or look 00:12:24.799 --> 00:12:28.639 for competing product. So the only way that you 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:31.759 can deliver a very good customer service, a compassionate 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:36.210 customer service is to be very humble. Under 00:12:36.210 --> 00:12:40.250 -promise, over -deliver. Under -promise, this 00:12:40.250 --> 00:12:42.590 means that you promise less than they expect, 00:12:42.830 --> 00:12:45.529 and then you surprise them in a very positive 00:12:45.529 --> 00:12:48.370 way. We call it marketing delight in customers 00:12:48.370 --> 00:12:52.129 when you give more than they expect. For example, 00:12:52.330 --> 00:12:57.110 you are selling, let's say, some like this diaries, 00:12:57.269 --> 00:12:59.669 and then you are selling these diaries, and these 00:12:59.669 --> 00:13:03.049 diaries are very nice price, very nice quality, 00:13:03.149 --> 00:13:07.580 but... You give a pen, a very nice pen, a fine 00:13:07.580 --> 00:13:11.100 pen, free. You are giving a gift attached to 00:13:11.100 --> 00:13:14.139 this product and you are creating a positive 00:13:14.139 --> 00:13:16.929 imbalance. They feel indebted with you because 00:13:16.929 --> 00:13:19.149 you have been generous and they're more prone 00:13:19.149 --> 00:13:22.029 to respond in a positive way, recommending your 00:13:22.029 --> 00:13:24.789 products to others, leaving positive review online. 00:13:24.990 --> 00:13:27.090 Instead, some companies act in the opposite way. 00:13:27.129 --> 00:13:29.789 They act in a very stingy way. I want to give 00:13:29.789 --> 00:13:32.450 the product that will give me the highest commission. 00:13:32.830 --> 00:13:35.549 It probably is not the one that they are looking 00:13:35.549 --> 00:13:37.730 for, but I want to think about my own commission. 00:13:37.909 --> 00:13:41.230 This is an attitude of selling, not... of service 00:13:41.230 --> 00:13:44.129 always choose an attitude of service service 00:13:44.129 --> 00:13:49.330 implies adding value to customers very good okay 00:13:49.330 --> 00:13:52.450 so let's go to a little advice what advice would 00:13:52.450 --> 00:13:55.529 you give to someone who struggles to be vulnerable 00:13:55.529 --> 00:14:01.509 or genuine when networking very important in 00:14:01.509 --> 00:14:04.009 networking networking with any stakeholder or 00:14:04.009 --> 00:14:06.110 potential stakeholder could be a business partner 00:14:06.110 --> 00:14:08.470 could be a supplier could be an intermediate 00:14:08.470 --> 00:14:11.909 like a retailer You have to talk not only about 00:14:11.909 --> 00:14:14.330 business topics, but also you have to talk about 00:14:14.330 --> 00:14:16.909 non -business topics. You can say, this doesn't 00:14:16.909 --> 00:14:19.690 make any sense, because at the end you are networking 00:14:19.690 --> 00:14:22.669 with a person, a human being, and the commonality 00:14:22.669 --> 00:14:25.350 between you and the other one, the other person 00:14:25.350 --> 00:14:27.970 is, regardless of the role, regardless that you 00:14:27.970 --> 00:14:30.230 are the CEO and the other one could be a representative 00:14:30.230 --> 00:14:34.289 of the supplier and so on, so it's your human 00:14:34.289 --> 00:14:36.769 beings. When you connect on a much more human 00:14:36.769 --> 00:14:39.110 level, this means that you understand that you 00:14:39.110 --> 00:14:41.610 are both human beings with fear, expectation, 00:14:42.129 --> 00:14:45.509 aspiration, dreams. And you talk about not only 00:14:45.509 --> 00:14:47.850 about business topic, but you talk about at the 00:14:47.850 --> 00:14:49.850 beginning, like a small talk or at the end of 00:14:49.850 --> 00:14:53.590 the conversation about where they live, what 00:14:53.590 --> 00:14:56.169 the hobbies are and so on. You try to connect 00:14:56.169 --> 00:14:59.710 on a much more personal level. Many entrepreneurs 00:14:59.710 --> 00:15:04.049 in the Far East. for example, Japan, China, understanding 00:15:04.049 --> 00:15:06.809 the importance of building personal relationships 00:15:06.809 --> 00:15:10.190 first, and then, on the top of this, building 00:15:10.190 --> 00:15:13.409 solid business relationships. But the person 00:15:13.409 --> 00:15:16.250 comes first. Here in some individualistic cultures 00:15:16.250 --> 00:15:18.870 like the United States and the UK, We privilege, 00:15:19.110 --> 00:15:22.029 time is money, let's try to close the deal immediately. 00:15:22.269 --> 00:15:24.710 We then, in some cases, knowing the person and 00:15:24.710 --> 00:15:27.470 take the time to know the person on a much more 00:15:27.470 --> 00:15:29.570 humane level. This means that you talk about 00:15:29.570 --> 00:15:32.250 business, but also you interpret this in the 00:15:32.250 --> 00:15:34.009 conversation, what I call natural conversation, 00:15:34.129 --> 00:15:36.409 interpret some topic like, for example, talking 00:15:36.409 --> 00:15:38.769 about the weather or the hobbies, try to avoid 00:15:38.769 --> 00:15:40.850 controversial topic that could be, for example, 00:15:40.850 --> 00:15:44.970 religion or politics, but try to talk about how 00:15:44.970 --> 00:15:47.610 they are on a personal level. And this will... 00:15:47.929 --> 00:15:51.370 clear any hindrances that are on the way to get 00:15:51.370 --> 00:15:54.110 an agreement. And always look for ways to share 00:15:54.110 --> 00:15:57.289 common ground. This means that use a lot of words 00:15:57.289 --> 00:16:01.190 such as we, our agreement, our common goal. What 00:16:01.190 --> 00:16:03.269 I hear in many conversations that they use the 00:16:03.269 --> 00:16:06.690 first person of the singular, I, my, me, myself. 00:16:07.110 --> 00:16:09.409 This is very individualistic. Say when you talk 00:16:09.409 --> 00:16:13.750 about our agreement, our deal, our common goal. 00:16:14.309 --> 00:16:16.769 something that are obvious. We are both looking 00:16:16.769 --> 00:16:19.490 to develop robust relationships. You talk about 00:16:19.490 --> 00:16:22.230 we, and also try to identify their needs, because 00:16:22.230 --> 00:16:24.610 at the end you want to develop an agreement, 00:16:24.769 --> 00:16:27.549 if this is possible, that is a win -win agreement. 00:16:27.669 --> 00:16:29.470 If you don't know what the needs are, and you 00:16:29.470 --> 00:16:31.549 only think about your needs, you are more prone 00:16:31.549 --> 00:16:33.610 to developing a win -lose agreement, where you 00:16:33.610 --> 00:16:36.269 win at the expense of them. But these are short 00:16:36.269 --> 00:16:38.330 -lived agreements that cannot prosper over time. 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:42.460 Very good. Very good. And I speak about so many 00:16:42.460 --> 00:16:45.259 of the same things because really we both talk 00:16:45.259 --> 00:16:48.759 about networking, but it's so similar. It really 00:16:48.759 --> 00:16:52.840 astounds me. But let's go on. How do emotionally 00:16:52.840 --> 00:16:57.120 safe environments lead to stronger, more profitable 00:16:57.120 --> 00:17:01.120 connections, both internally with teams and externally 00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:04.440 with clients or collaborators? Very interesting. 00:17:04.539 --> 00:17:06.759 Let's talk a bit about a very important phenomenon 00:17:06.759 --> 00:17:09.859 described by Daniel Goleman, that is the phenomenon 00:17:09.859 --> 00:17:13.140 of emotional contagion. Emotional contagion implies 00:17:13.140 --> 00:17:15.579 that when you feel an emotion and you start interacting 00:17:15.579 --> 00:17:18.059 with others, supposing that you feel happy, feel 00:17:18.059 --> 00:17:21.319 cheerful, you tend to infect others with this 00:17:21.319 --> 00:17:23.299 positive emotion and they tend to experience 00:17:23.299 --> 00:17:26.500 this emotion and act accordingly. Why this happens? 00:17:26.619 --> 00:17:29.019 Because in our brain we have mirror neurons that 00:17:29.019 --> 00:17:31.880 tend... help us replicate the emotions that are 00:17:31.880 --> 00:17:34.940 of people around us. The opposite happens with 00:17:34.940 --> 00:17:37.380 negative emotions. When you experience anger 00:17:37.380 --> 00:17:40.700 and you treat people and you adopt an angry tone 00:17:40.700 --> 00:17:44.099 of voice and you try to dismiss them and so on, 00:17:44.200 --> 00:17:46.759 these people are infected by this negative emotion 00:17:46.759 --> 00:17:49.140 and they are less prone to cooperate, less prone 00:17:49.140 --> 00:17:52.000 to share with you the resources such as information, 00:17:52.180 --> 00:17:55.349 technology. We have to be aware, are we? bringing 00:17:55.349 --> 00:17:57.809 about positive emotion in this workplace into 00:17:57.809 --> 00:18:00.789 this relationship and why is so important bringing 00:18:00.789 --> 00:18:03.509 about positive emotion because according to research 00:18:03.509 --> 00:18:08.430 positive emotion expand your brain and help you 00:18:08.430 --> 00:18:11.490 become much more creative help you utilize what 00:18:11.490 --> 00:18:14.710 we call the internal resources such as critical 00:18:14.710 --> 00:18:19.829 analysis creativity and others instead constrictive 00:18:19.829 --> 00:18:23.769 emotions for example fear They make you adopt 00:18:23.769 --> 00:18:26.269 what we call the freeze, fight, fly mode, where 00:18:26.269 --> 00:18:28.930 you tend to be more reactive. You tend to trust 00:18:28.930 --> 00:18:32.190 less others. You tend to withdraw, tend not to 00:18:32.190 --> 00:18:34.509 cooperate. In some cases, this prompts you to 00:18:34.509 --> 00:18:37.190 compete with others instead of cooperating. And 00:18:37.190 --> 00:18:40.289 in any relationship, you have a basis of cooperation. 00:18:40.529 --> 00:18:42.809 If you are not willing to cooperate, this relationship 00:18:42.809 --> 00:18:45.930 won't prosper because all relationships in business 00:18:45.930 --> 00:18:48.920 and non -business environment are only prone 00:18:48.920 --> 00:18:51.759 to succeed when the needs of both parties are 00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:54.880 fully satisfied. If the needs of only one party 00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:58.599 are satisfied, this relationship is prone to 00:18:58.599 --> 00:19:02.180 fail, not to succeed. Absolutely. Absolutely 00:19:02.180 --> 00:19:05.880 correct. What's one thing most people get wrong 00:19:05.880 --> 00:19:09.579 about connection, whether in customer service 00:19:09.579 --> 00:19:12.839 or professional networking? Very wrong. What 00:19:12.839 --> 00:19:15.839 I observe is scripted conversation, mechanical 00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:18.390 conversation. Parrot, I call Parrot the style. 00:19:18.569 --> 00:19:21.210 For example, I see some company that I feel a 00:19:21.210 --> 00:19:24.369 bit of shame from outside when I see this company 00:19:24.369 --> 00:19:27.549 that they give script on a piece of paper to 00:19:27.549 --> 00:19:30.369 memorize and say, okay, when you meet the customer 00:19:30.369 --> 00:19:32.990 or the client, you have to say, hello, how are 00:19:32.990 --> 00:19:37.119 you? We have product case. This sounds so mechanical. 00:19:37.259 --> 00:19:39.400 You are talking to a robot, not to a person. 00:19:39.539 --> 00:19:43.160 And a scripted conversation hinders the spontaneity, 00:19:43.160 --> 00:19:45.440 the natural spontaneity that can be brought about 00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:48.019 in a conversation. And people feel it. They feel 00:19:48.019 --> 00:19:51.319 this impersonal. They feel that this is not natural. 00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:54.000 And people tend to withdraw from this type of 00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:56.799 sell people or this type of stakeholder. Instead, 00:19:56.859 --> 00:19:58.660 when you make the conversation more natural, 00:19:58.740 --> 00:20:01.299 which implies including emotion, talking about 00:20:01.299 --> 00:20:05.359 personal aspect, but also don't be so... aware 00:20:05.359 --> 00:20:08.000 of the timing because in some cases i see also 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:10.599 some sales people that have a quota they have 00:20:10.599 --> 00:20:12.960 a quota they say you know what this conversation 00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:15.220 cannot last more than five minutes because you 00:20:15.220 --> 00:20:19.559 have to close up a six client per hour okay this 00:20:19.559 --> 00:20:21.400 means that you're limiting the conversation the 00:20:21.400 --> 00:20:23.779 other person feel the pressure of time they cannot 00:20:23.779 --> 00:20:26.460 expose their ideas fully so give time for the 00:20:26.460 --> 00:20:29.700 conversation to develop be natural be also others 00:20:29.700 --> 00:20:31.680 oriented this means that you don't focus so much 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:34.940 on you but also you focus on others try to adopt 00:20:34.940 --> 00:20:38.000 a learning attitude. You're not there to close 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:40.599 any deal. You're there to learn from them and 00:20:40.599 --> 00:20:42.759 try to see that you can develop an environment 00:20:42.759 --> 00:20:46.079 where a beneficial agreement for both can be 00:20:46.079 --> 00:20:49.339 unfolding. But don't get so focused on the sale 00:20:49.339 --> 00:20:51.619 or get so focused on closing the deal. Instead, 00:20:51.700 --> 00:20:54.339 learn from each other because learning from each 00:20:54.339 --> 00:20:58.059 other will help both of you arrive at an agreement 00:20:58.059 --> 00:21:02.710 that is more win -win. mutually beneficial. Instead, 00:21:02.789 --> 00:21:05.150 when you focus only on your needs or what you 00:21:05.150 --> 00:21:07.670 will say or how we can close the deal, you are 00:21:07.670 --> 00:21:09.750 self -centered. Other people can feel it. So 00:21:09.750 --> 00:21:12.230 very important, make this the conversation spontaneous, 00:21:12.329 --> 00:21:15.609 natural and non -mechanical. I feel in this case 00:21:15.609 --> 00:21:18.509 that artificial intelligence cannot substitute 00:21:18.509 --> 00:21:21.569 the natural conversation yet. You can see good 00:21:21.569 --> 00:21:24.170 votes, but you feel that it's a bit mechanical, 00:21:24.230 --> 00:21:27.680 a bit impersonal. And also... The conversation, 00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:30.220 try to make this as expressive as possible, expressing 00:21:30.220 --> 00:21:33.039 your idea clearly, but without monopolizing the 00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:35.900 conversation and making also your idea very clearly 00:21:35.900 --> 00:21:39.700 expressed, including your emotions. All right, 00:21:39.700 --> 00:21:43.140 now let's bring this podcast full circle. And 00:21:43.140 --> 00:21:47.200 can you share a personal or professional story 00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:51.400 where creating a safe, compassionate space led 00:21:51.400 --> 00:21:54.539 to an extraordinary connection or opportunity? 00:21:55.390 --> 00:21:58.170 Yes, I have a recent example of a company that 00:21:58.170 --> 00:22:01.329 we were advising. This company has very bad reviews 00:22:01.329 --> 00:22:05.109 online. Obviously, the employees were a bit demotivated 00:22:05.109 --> 00:22:08.990 because sales were going down. And what we discovered, 00:22:09.150 --> 00:22:11.069 because there is a very important factor, when 00:22:11.069 --> 00:22:14.349 sales are going down, there is employee demotivation, 00:22:14.430 --> 00:22:18.210 there is low employee morale. In most cases, 00:22:18.210 --> 00:22:21.269 there is something about fear. Employees tend 00:22:21.269 --> 00:22:25.240 to feel fearful. losing their job or fearful 00:22:25.240 --> 00:22:27.920 of not closing sales or fearful of not achieving 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:30.980 the quota or fearful of being penalized if they 00:22:30.980 --> 00:22:32.940 don't meet the objective or fearful of being 00:22:32.940 --> 00:22:35.779 outpaced by colleagues. So we discovered, and 00:22:35.779 --> 00:22:38.720 we were right, there were some pockets of fear 00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:42.119 within the company and the fear was so ingrained 00:22:42.119 --> 00:22:44.519 and the fear was about, for example, not meeting 00:22:44.519 --> 00:22:46.859 the quotas that were very strict and in some 00:22:46.859 --> 00:22:49.039 cases unachievable that put a lot of pressure 00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:52.099 and didn't allow employees to relax and also 00:22:52.490 --> 00:22:55.569 the conversation with customer was so short that 00:22:55.569 --> 00:22:58.089 the customer felt a bit forced because i observed 00:22:58.089 --> 00:22:59.990 one of the conversation in practice in person 00:22:59.990 --> 00:23:02.250 i was so sure that the customer couldn't even 00:23:02.250 --> 00:23:05.170 expose their idea it were a kind of constrained 00:23:05.170 --> 00:23:07.589 conversation and customers were not given the 00:23:07.589 --> 00:23:10.910 opportunity to express their view moreover customers 00:23:10.910 --> 00:23:13.990 were treated like little figures in the database 00:23:13.990 --> 00:23:17.369 to as a means to make profit instead of being 00:23:17.369 --> 00:23:19.549 treating this customer as a real human being 00:23:19.549 --> 00:23:22.900 that are spending their hard -won money on this 00:23:22.900 --> 00:23:24.819 company potentially and need to be treated with 00:23:24.819 --> 00:23:27.519 respect and they need to be recognized in a legitimate 00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:30.980 way. So what we did is we understand that the 00:23:30.980 --> 00:23:34.359 quota system, closing certain deals per hour 00:23:34.359 --> 00:23:37.579 was too strict. Employees felt much more relaxed, 00:23:37.740 --> 00:23:40.400 less stress, stress level went down because then 00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:43.220 there was a survey. And also we saw that the 00:23:43.220 --> 00:23:45.380 conversations were a bit descriptive too, kind 00:23:45.380 --> 00:23:48.200 of mechanical, the way the introduction. without 00:23:48.200 --> 00:23:51.299 adapting the style to each customer. In some 00:23:51.299 --> 00:23:53.180 cases, some customers needed one hour to talk 00:23:53.180 --> 00:23:55.240 about this. Some customers needed 10 minutes. 00:23:55.420 --> 00:23:57.779 Some customers needed to know more about this 00:23:57.779 --> 00:24:00.900 technical specification. So we introduced more 00:24:00.900 --> 00:24:03.240 flexibility with the approval of the manager. 00:24:03.420 --> 00:24:05.259 The manager was not very convinced at the beginning, 00:24:05.279 --> 00:24:07.259 I have to say, because there was a lot of resistance. 00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:10.440 But this was possible to introduce. And we gave 00:24:10.440 --> 00:24:14.579 a three -month period of time span to see there 00:24:14.579 --> 00:24:16.859 was an improvement. And we checked also the customer 00:24:16.859 --> 00:24:19.140 review. at the end of the three months. And we 00:24:19.140 --> 00:24:21.980 took also the employee morale with a very simple 00:24:21.980 --> 00:24:25.619 employee survey. We took also the reviews and 00:24:25.619 --> 00:24:28.039 the sales levels. So these were the three indicators. 00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:31.200 So employee morale, sales reviews, sales levels, 00:24:31.240 --> 00:24:34.200 and also the customer reviews. And so we observed 00:24:34.200 --> 00:24:35.859 that three months with these simple changes, 00:24:36.259 --> 00:24:40.299 customers were given a lot of time to talk. Employees 00:24:40.299 --> 00:24:42.339 will not be penalized with the strict quotas. 00:24:42.859 --> 00:24:46.700 Employees were also offering customers products 00:24:46.700 --> 00:24:48.660 that were not the most expensive ones, products 00:24:48.660 --> 00:24:51.640 that were the most suitable for this customer, 00:24:51.700 --> 00:24:54.180 because in the previous system, employees were 00:24:54.180 --> 00:24:57.519 pushing the products that were the most expensive 00:24:57.519 --> 00:25:00.400 ones, even when they were not suitable for customers. 00:25:00.619 --> 00:25:03.019 What made this customer, in some cases, feel 00:25:03.019 --> 00:25:05.119 pushed to buy this product, and then they left 00:25:05.119 --> 00:25:08.799 a lot of negative reviews. In both cases, we 00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:10.779 observed from the first scenario to the second 00:25:10.779 --> 00:25:13.680 scenario, improvement in sales. from a significantly 00:25:13.680 --> 00:25:15.759 very important percentage we saw improvement 00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:19.039 in positive reviews and decreasing negative review 00:25:19.039 --> 00:25:21.880 the negative review didn't disappear but they 00:25:21.880 --> 00:25:24.519 decreased significantly and we saw much more 00:25:24.519 --> 00:25:27.779 employee more higher employee morale and higher 00:25:27.779 --> 00:25:30.420 play satisfaction we saw that when you have an 00:25:30.420 --> 00:25:32.539 employee that is satisfied is more connected 00:25:32.539 --> 00:25:36.079 to customer satisfaction So this means that this 00:25:36.079 --> 00:25:38.400 thing was resolved. It's not fully resolved, 00:25:38.500 --> 00:25:41.380 but this was only three months span. And we support 00:25:41.380 --> 00:25:44.119 this company and keep on using this system and 00:25:44.119 --> 00:25:48.400 also introduce some small meetings in between 00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:51.599 calls, let's say once a day, at least a midday, 00:25:51.660 --> 00:25:54.930 where employees can relax and chill out. and 00:25:54.930 --> 00:25:58.410 can talk about not quota, not talk about the 00:25:58.410 --> 00:26:01.009 budget, not talk about the plans, business plan, 00:26:01.089 --> 00:26:03.450 marketing strategy. They can talk about themselves, 00:26:03.569 --> 00:26:06.450 having a coffee with colleagues in the call center 00:26:06.450 --> 00:26:09.230 so that they can feel much more at ease and they 00:26:09.230 --> 00:26:11.509 can come back to work in the second half of the 00:26:11.509 --> 00:26:14.970 day, more revitalized. So this means I know we 00:26:14.970 --> 00:26:17.650 need much more personal level because employees 00:26:17.650 --> 00:26:23.390 were so burdened with this demand of closing 00:26:23.390 --> 00:26:25.799 sales that They felt the stress and they didn't 00:26:25.799 --> 00:26:27.839 know their colleagues well. With this little 00:26:27.839 --> 00:26:31.200 meeting in the middle part of the day, every 00:26:31.200 --> 00:26:34.519 day, Monday to Friday, employees felt more relaxed 00:26:34.519 --> 00:26:36.519 and they can connect to colleagues in a much 00:26:36.519 --> 00:26:39.759 more meaningful way. And they came back to work 00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:42.900 in a less stressed state. And this brought about 00:26:42.900 --> 00:26:45.420 better relationships within the workplace, much 00:26:45.420 --> 00:26:47.619 more psychologically safe workplace because there 00:26:47.619 --> 00:26:51.359 was no fear. And also... higher customer satisfaction. 00:26:51.500 --> 00:26:54.319 What was a win -win? There was resistance from 00:26:54.319 --> 00:26:56.920 management. I have to observe because they were 00:26:56.920 --> 00:26:59.119 not very convinced. Can this be so simple? I 00:26:59.119 --> 00:27:01.200 say, it's not so simple because it's a big change. 00:27:01.279 --> 00:27:03.319 Appeared to be simple, but was a very significant 00:27:03.319 --> 00:27:05.740 change. And I'm very happy that we could help 00:27:05.740 --> 00:27:09.440 this company. Good, good. Bruno, we're out of 00:27:09.440 --> 00:27:12.079 time, but I'm really glad that you came on the 00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:15.839 podcast. If somebody wanted to hire you, get 00:27:15.839 --> 00:27:18.960 coached by you, or just say hello, how would 00:27:18.960 --> 00:27:21.589 they get hold of you? First off, all these ideas 00:27:21.589 --> 00:27:24.430 that we spoke today are compiled in my new book, 00:27:24.509 --> 00:27:26.990 The Art of Compassionate Beings, published by 00:27:26.990 --> 00:27:29.230 Ruth Leach. In the second edition, more than 00:27:29.230 --> 00:27:31.890 400 pages with hundreds of cases of compassionate 00:27:31.890 --> 00:27:34.789 organization. They can find me on LinkedIn or 00:27:34.789 --> 00:27:42.710 my website, www .brunosignaco .com. www .brunosignaco 00:27:42.710 --> 00:27:46.089 .com. They can contact me for services or consultancy 00:27:46.089 --> 00:27:48.769 or training related to this topic. Thank you 00:27:48.769 --> 00:27:51.500 very much. Bruno, thank you again for coming 00:27:51.500 --> 00:27:58.579 on. This is a great time. Thank you. Well, hold 00:27:58.579 --> 00:28:01.839 on, folks. Don't go anywhere. Let's hear from 00:28:01.839 --> 00:28:05.240 our sponsors. David Neal, co -founder, Revved 00:28:05.240 --> 00:28:08.779 Up Kids. Revved Up Kids is on a mission to protect 00:28:08.779 --> 00:28:12.599 children and teens from sexual abuse, exploitation 00:28:12.599 --> 00:28:15.920 and trafficking. They provide prevention training 00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:19.920 programs for children, teens and adults. To learn 00:28:19.920 --> 00:28:24.309 more, go to revvedupkids .org. Henry Kaplan, 00:28:24.470 --> 00:28:27.509 Century 21. When it comes to making the biggest 00:28:27.509 --> 00:28:30.509 financial decision of your life, leave it in 00:28:30.509 --> 00:28:33.349 the hands of a proven professional, Henry Kaplan. 00:28:33.509 --> 00:28:36.849 Henry is a global real estate agent with Century 00:28:36.849 --> 00:28:41.309 21, celebrating his 41st year in business. No 00:28:41.309 --> 00:28:43.769 matter where you're moving, Henry has the right 00:28:43.769 --> 00:28:47.309 connections for you. You can contact Henry at 00:28:47.309 --> 00:29:01.259 561 -427 -4888. Well, that's a wrap, folks. A 00:29:01.259 --> 00:29:03.900 huge thank you to our special guests for sharing 00:29:03.900 --> 00:29:06.900 such incredible insights today. And of course, 00:29:06.900 --> 00:29:10.319 a big shout out to you, our amazing listeners, 00:29:10.440 --> 00:29:13.220 for tuning in and spending your time with us. 00:29:13.660 --> 00:29:17.059 Remember, networking isn't about being perfect. 00:29:17.220 --> 00:29:20.099 It's about being present. So take what you've 00:29:20.099 --> 00:29:23.039 learned today, get out there, and make some meaningful 00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:26.640 connections. If you enjoyed this episode, don't 00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:29.819 forget to subscribe, leave us a review, and share 00:29:29.819 --> 00:29:32.160 it with someone who could use a little networking 00:29:32.160 --> 00:29:35.700 inspiration. Let's keep the conversation going. 00:29:35.940 --> 00:29:40.680 You can find me on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or 00:29:40.680 --> 00:29:44.160 my website, Michael. Remember, until next time, 00:29:44.220 --> 00:29:47.660 keep practicing, keep connecting, and keep building 00:29:47.660 --> 00:29:50.240 those relationships. This is Michael signing 00:29:50.240 --> 00:29:52.940 off. Take care and happy networking.