Good morning!
Over the years, I have been handed many life-changing books by friends. Some, I devour immediately while others sit on the shelf until, as the Japanese proverb correctly states, “When the student is ready, the teacher appears”, and I finally give it a read.
One such book was, The Five Love Languages. While this is not a business book by any means, there is a strong business application, one worthy of comment.
The premise of the book is simple. We all feel loved in one of five ways:
- Physical touch
- Words of affirmation
- Gifts
- Quality time
- Acts of service
Once you read this book, you are very likely to hand it to your significant other. You will see your children in a different light. And, if you’re smart, you will bring these lessons to work with you. There are two key applications.
First, if you are a salesperson, you need to understand the communication/love language of your clients. Part of our job is to find a connection so that customers can become friends and long-term business relationships are formed. By understanding what the client deems valuable and makes them feel heard and appreciated, you can cut through a lot of clutter, save a lot of time, and form a strong bond.
Second, if you are a sales manager, understanding the communication/love language of your salespeople allows you to help move them towards superstar status. Encouragement, support, and management itself comes in many forms. Going on joint sales calls with the sales rep in an effort to show him/her how valuable they are will be a waste of time if that sales rep craves nothing more than an “atta-boy” from you.
This book is a game changer, both from a personal and professional level. You can use its lessons verbatim in your private relationships and then read between the lines to get the essence of the book’s message at work. Either way, the goal is the same: connecting.
And that’s a language we all understand.
