Subject: Business Mastery [Pay Attention To Tension - Part 2]
Business Mastery
Helping Entrepreneurs and Executives Succeed
By Mastering Influence & Relationship
March 3, 2009
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The Referral Marketing Newsletter
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Dear David,
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 KNOWING YOUR PROSPECTS
In this issue we're continuing our series on how to "Pay Attention to Your Prospect's Tension". The marketplace is ultra competitive now. Learning how to manage tension will give you a huge leg up on your competition. Part 2 of the series is below. If you missed Part 1, check it out here:
Upcoming Events:
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Webinar for Coaches and Consultants
March 12
1:00 Eastern
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March 5
Private Event
ChangeWorks! Certification
Live Training with Dave Miller & T. Falcon Napier April 2-4, 2009 Yardley, PA Register HereTo find out more how about our seminars or how to arrange for Dave to speak at your next event, contact us here or call 215-968-2483.
To your success,
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Webinar: The Ultimate Coaching and Change Management Tool
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Are you a coach, consultant or trainer who would love to have a tool
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Know exactly how to help your client create the changes they need to
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Thursday, March 12th 2009
1:00 PM Eastern / 10:00 AM Pacific
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Come and see what the ChangeGrid™ is all about. I've found it to be one of the best tools I've ever used for prospecting, as well as for providing superior coaching and consulting services.
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-Bob DeMers, President, Coaching Works, Charlotte,
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Pay Attention To Your Prospect's Tension - Part 2
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IDENTIFYING THE FIVE LEVELS OF TENSION
In Napier's ChangeWorks system, he defines five levels of tension. If we're to be successful in selling or influencing, we must be able to identify (and manage) our prospect's tension. This article focuses on how to identify the five levels of tension.
From the highest level of tension to the lowest, these are STRESS, POWER-STRESS, POWER, POWER-APATHY and APATHY. These are all represented on The Change Grid (pictured below). You want to become familiar with the certain aspects of these tension levels so that you'll know them when you see them and you'll know what to do to manage the tension in yourself and your prospects.
The level of tension that someone is experiencing results from the interaction of two perceptions they have about the situation they're in: 1) how challenging they find the situation, and 2) how capable they feel to handle the situation.
Let's get a snapshot of these five levels of tension and their associated characteristics.
Stress
Stress is the highest level of tension. Stress occurs when the level of perceived challenge of a situation greatly exceeds the level of perceived ability. Picture yourself having to accomplish something that you think is way over your head. You're going to feel stressed out!
Stress sounds like this: "I know I need to do something, but I don't know what to do! Just tell me what to do and I'll do it."
Key Word: Panic.
Level of Control: Out of Control.
Decision Making Abilities: Highly Reactive. Someone in Stress will definitely make decisions, but it's doubtful they'll be good ones. They'll pursue the first course of action they feel will give them control, but will quickly abandon that course of action if they stumble across another alternative or two.
A prospect in Stress may be easy to sell to because they are so desperate for a solution. But beware - they may also be impulsive, high-maintenance and , therefore, unprofitable clients.
Power-Stress
Power-Stress is the next highest level of tension.
Power-Stress sounds like this: "I know I need to do something. I know exactly what I'm going to do and I'm going to do it now!" It's in Power-Stress that someone will take immediate, definitive action.
Key Word: Buy.
Level of Control: Seizing Control.
Decision Making Abilities: Active. Someone in Power-Stress is very decisive about the action they are taking. The potential danger is if they haven't adequately evaluated this option to see if it is the best alternative.
Overall Productivity: Very Productive.
It would be wonderful if we found every one of our prospects in Power-Stress. They're ready to buy and little time is wasted on hand wringing and analysis.
Power
Power is the middle level of the five levels of tension. In Power someone's perceived ability closely matches their perception of how challenging a situation is to handle.
Power sounds like this: "I know I need to do something I just haven't decided what to do yet, so I'm looking at options."
Key Words: Evaluate, Shop, Consider
Level of Control: In Control.
Decision Making Abilities: Highly Proactive. Someone in Power is in an aggressive information-gathering mode and seeks to explore and understand as many alternatives as possible.
Overall Productivity: Generally Productive.
A prospect in Power takes their time to make a decision. But when the do make a decision, it's likely to be a good one. The positive side of a prospect in Power is they are seriously shopping. The downside is that they will not buy unless their tension about your product or service rises.
Power-Apathy
Power-Apathy is the next lowest level of tension. Here someone's perceived ability starts greatly exceeding their perceived challenge.
Power-Apathy sounds like this: "I know I need to do something.I just wish someone else would do it."
Key Word: Delegate ("Toss" may be more accurate)
Level of Control: Assumed Control.
Decision Making Abilities: Passive. In Power-Apathy, everything becomes routine, a system, or on automatic pilot.
Overall Productivity: Somewhat Productive. Productivity still exists here, but is lower due to the lack of urgency and the passive decision making.
Prospects in Power-Apathy require an immense amount of time and energy to sell to. Even though they're looking for someone to sell to, their level of tension is too low to do anything about it. The danger here is that they WILL still take the time to meet with you, but no action will be taken - that is, unless you can raise their level of tension.
Apathy
When tension is at the lowest level, we describe that person as being in Apathy. Apathy occurs whenever perceived ability grossly outweighs perceived challenge. Therefore, there is no urgent need to change anything.
Apathy sounds like this, "Do something? I don't need to do anything. Things are fine the way they are."
Key Word: zzzzzzz
Level of Control: Illusion of Control.
Decision Making Abilities: Highly Inactive. Someone in Apathy doesn't feel a decision needs to be made. Everything is fine.
Overall Productivity: Unproductive.
The irony here is that Apathy is the unavoidable side effect of mastery. Because mastery has been achieved, a prospect in Apathy has a tendency to believe the world has stopped changing. They tend to over-estimate their abilities and underestimate the challenges and, as a result, stop adapting (i.e., they will never see a need for your services). They may not be as powerful, prepared, protected or productive as they think they are. But try convincing them of that!
TENSION CUES
So ho do you read physical, tonal and verbal cues of the five levels? Let's examine what each level looks like.
Stress Cues
Someone in stress is pretty easy to identify. They tend to move around a great deal, finding it hard to be still. Their gestures are large and wild and their facial expressions show the intensity of their emotional state. In Stress, someone will speak faster, louder and at a higher pitch. They tend to communicate in random thought fragments - without pause or punctuation.
Power Cues
Physically, someone in Power is the perfect picture of balance. They tend to sit or stand in an upright and poised manner - back straight, shoulders squared, head held high and eye to eye. Their gestures are deliberate and controlled, strongly emphasizing whatever point they're making. Their facial expressions indicate pride and self-confidence.
Everything about their tonal quality is best described as moderate: rate of speaking, volume and pitch. Someone in Power uses carefully chosen words in well-formed sentences.
Apathy Cues
Someone in Apathy tends to sit somewhat draped on the furniture. Everything about them seems heavy and slow. They tend to lean away from you or withdraw. Gestures are few and small. Their facial expressions convey a lack of enthusiasm. Their speech is slow, pitch is low, volume is soft and inflection is monotone.
Power-Stress Cues
These cues are a blend of the cues from Stress and Power.
Power-Apathy
These cues are a blend of the cues from Power and Apathy.
In Part 3 of this series, we'll look at how to manage your prospect's level of tension. This is the skill that can put lots more money in your pocket and be a better provider of services to your client at the same time.
Adapted from an article by T. Falcon Napier (T. Falcon Napier & Associates).
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Take The "12 Ingredients For Explosive Business Growth" Survey
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No matter what level your business or practice is, we all want to take things to the next level (unless, of course, you're ready to retire)! This could mean more clients, more leverage, more balance...the list goes on.
Sometimes it's unclear to know exactly what to do. But more often we know what to do, but aren't following through - AND WE DON'T KNOW WHY!
We may spend money on taking assessments, going to seminars and hiring coaches to help us solve our problems. Still the problems continue.
The missing piece in being more successful can be referred to as "tension management".
That's why I'm saying to you:
Let me explain what this profile is NOT:
- it's not a psychometric tool,
- it's not a personality profile,
- it's not a measure of aptitudes or attitudes
This profile is called "ChangeWorks" and the resulting report is called a ChangeGrid.
Here's what the ChangeGrid will reveal:
- how ready you are to actually perform the mission-critical activities that will grow your business,
- what are the opportunities for significant growth in your business, and
- which areas of your business represent untapped potential and unrealized profits!
The ChangeGrid measures the productive tension you associate with a certain activity. The Grid can then be used to help you manage your tension for success.
Taking the profile is simple and will only take 10 minutes:
1) Click on the link below
2) Fill out your contact information (your privacy is protected)
3) Follow the instructions to complete your profile
4) We will contact you to set up a free phone consultation to debrief your ChangeGrid.
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Business Growth Strategies focuses on helping entrepreneurs, consultants and sales professionals attract more clients, get larger engagements and earn more income. We also specialize in helping executives become tranformational leaders in their organizations. We help our clients succeed by helping them master relationships in three dimensions: with themselves, one-on-one with others and with teams.
Sincerely,
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David C. Miller MSCC, CPCC, PCC
Business Development and Leadership Specialist
ICF Professional Certified Coach
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Miller & Associates | 6 Goldenrod Court | Newtown | PA | 18940
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