QUESTION: Virtual Trust?
Dear Merry,
I am an OD Professional in the pharmaceutical industry and I work on several virtual teams. Do you have any tips for building trust in a virtual business conversation?
RESPONSE: Attention and Integrity
Dear Executive,
For today s leaders developing strong business relationships with colleagues via virtual means - primarily telephone - is a new challenge, but key to success.
Listening skills and effective questioning are even more important than in person-to-person meetings where body language and your attentive presence can go far to build trust and a strong relationship. Here are my suggestions for building trust in a virtual business conversation:
- Be On Time: In a virtual relationship it is especially important to show respect for the other person s schedule by being punctual.
- Connect Personally: Having time for a brief personal chat is always nice, however not mandatory. Be sure your interest is genuine
- Are you planning a vacation?
- How is your family?
- Confirm the Agenda: To begin a conversation agree/confirm what you will be speaking about and how much time you have allotted to speak.
- Listen Fully: This can be hard for high performance leaders because they are bright and want to "jump in" to show they got it. Listen fully to all they have to say, even if you get it immediately.
- Ask Good Questions: Don t assume you understand.
- Complete Attention: Give the person your full attention...this means no multi-tasking while talking. So no IM, email, phone calls, or other interruptions. Do not use the mute function on your phone even if you are present - people don t feel connected to you.
- Focus On Them: Don t draw the conversation back to yourself ("I", "me", "my"). Allow the other person s issues, needs, thoughts and feelings to be the focus.
- Use Their Name: When speaking address the person by using their name when appropriate and natural.
- Integrity: Of course, if any information you are discussing is confidential - keep it confidential. Never gossip.
- Recap: Confirm what you heard. Agree to next steps including who owns what and by when. Say what you ll do and do what you say.
Virtual relationships are always more challenging, but by using these suggestions you ll be well on your way to building trust in your virtual business relationships.
Dare to Deliver!
Merry
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