The old saying about catching more flies with honey than with vinegar applies in various aspects of life but easily translates into the professional world. Hopefully, being part of a team (and the human race) gives us the motivation to be considerate of others while achieving our goals. Kindness and politeness tend to warm and soften people, allowing us to mesh together and accomplish more than we could if we were rude, standoffish, or inconsiderate.
Practice these telltale signs of a considerate marketer:
Smile
Since smiling can actually create a sense of well-being, and smiles are known to be contagious, you may actually have the power to change someone’s mood just by smiling at them. Plus, genuine smiles release endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin. These feel-good substances promote happiness and better relationships. Some people think it doesn’t “count” if it’s a forced smile, but some experts believe that even the act of forcing a smile can act as a source of joy and increase the mood.
Promptness
Consideration for others includes being aware of other people’s time. Be on time for meetings and aim to avoid keeping other people waiting. Hopefully, this will work as an example and encouragement for coworkers or clients who are habitually less-than-prompt. And try to be patient with people who are not as on top of their promptness as you.
Emotional Intelligence
Awareness, control over, and appropriate expression of emotions promotes healthier interpersonal relationships. Stressful situations such as deadlines or tight budgets may cause emotions to rise, and people who are emotionally intelligent are able to control their emotions instead of acting on negative feelings. Maintaining a peaceful working environment, even during difficulty, is the sign of a considerate marketer.
Politeness
Maybe it should go without saying, but practicing consideration for others means being polite and using your manners. Apply many of the same principles you learned in preschool: say excuse me, listen instead of talking over others, avoid using of offensive language, say “please” and “thank you”. Generally, if you look for ways to be respectful of others, you’re probably already a polite person.
Read More: How and Why to Keep Your Marketing ‘Invisibles’ Happy
Win-Win
Of course it is impossible to make everyone happy all the time. However, you can do your best to solve problems in a way that everyone gets at least some of their wants or needs met. Give-and-take works as a critical part of being considerate. This way, no one completely loses out and the team gels together better.
Apologize (When Appropriate)
Admitting that you are wrong once in a while doesn’t mean that we are terrible at your job. It simply means that you are human. Being willing to recognize errors and apologizing for any harm done goes a long way in building and maintaining working relationships. However, do be careful not to apologize for something you didn’t do or overuse the word “sorry”. It then becomes meaningless and you lose authenticity.
Listen. Listen. Listen.
Spend much more time listening than you do talking. You may even find that you actually learn something. Avoid interrupting others and show them with body language that you aren’t simply waiting for them to stop talking so you can say your piece.
Read More: 6 Essential Questions Your Marketing Team Needs to Ask Sales
As you think about whether or not you are a considerate marketer, you can begin discovering ways to work better on your team. In the meantime you’re likely to become a happier, healthier human being whether you’re at work or somewhere else in the world. And that’s a win-win.
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