As we continue our journey down the servant leadership path focusing on listening and the skilled communicator, I am again inspired by something Stephen Covey mentioned in Habit #5...talk about diagnosing before prescribing.
"The amateur salesman sells products; the professional sells solutions to needs and problems." - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey
My husband and I are on a quest. The heat, direct sun, and excessive cold have damaged the window and frame. Over the years we did as much as we knew to fix the damage. After numerous attempts, we determined it is time for a new door and collected three bids.
As each salesman/contractor/owner came to the house, my husband explained the issue with our west-facing door and what he presumed was happening. I was working on the 2023 Wildland Fire Leadership Campaign - In Service of Others in a separate room, but I could hear the conversations and was asked to give my preferences for the new door. None of the individuals knew they were being assessed for their leadership skills—something that happens when you meet me. I live what I preach and look for the values of duty, respect, and integrity.
The first salesman arrived with a showroom in a bag of the most beautiful top-of-the-line door. I enthusiastically gave my preferences and began asking a few questions of the salesman who had dropped some subtle clues about his career in the door business. I learned that he taught leadership and led various self-help groups. I liked him, got his number to chat about leadership, and went back to work. My husband continued the final bid process. Before the salesman left, we had a bid slightly under $10K, including a discount. (Yes, $10K...cough!)
Next came the salesman/contractor/owner who arrived with a book of doors. We knew a little more about doors from our first encounter. After his briefing from my husband, we learned we needed glass that was built into the door and not one encased by a frame. As we chatted, I mentioned the previous bid and the $10K door. Our very nice salesman said he could also bid on the door along with the cheaper door we had selected. We could have the beautiful door for $5K (or so). We had options and more information on which to make a decision.
Then came the "solution doctor" (I will call him Sam) who did what neither of the other two did—he diagnosed before he prescribed. Sam knew we called for a quote on a new door, but before selling us a door, he gave us all the options for fixing the problem, which wasn't the door. His diagnosis was the lite portion (the glass and frame) not the door. Sam could order a lite kit and return our door to its previous splendor for well under $500. Sam gave us prescriptions that fit the diagnosis. We hade more options.
As I listened to Sam talk with my husband, I found I couldn't sit back any longer. I had to know more about Sam and his business. I jumped from my chair and entered the conversation. This bid had just jumped towards a potential deal.
Over the next 15 minutes or so, we connected. He told us about his "why." We told him about the bids. He told us about his journey and his family. We told him we had more work for the future, including the door to our garage. Sam asked to see the door and diagnosed another problem and gave my husband the prescription for the fix. We had a fix. Sam had a deal.
Today Sam came to pick up the deposit, remeasure the door, and most importantly, to introduce us to his team. Before Sam asked for the check, he asked about the garage door and if my husband had replaced the hinges. We hadn't. Sam immediately asked his team to grab some tools. They were going to replace the hinges for us. We had a relationship. They have future employment and great reviews (plus mandarins and protein bars for the road).
Morale of the story: As a Servant-Leader, empathic communication is a valuable skill. What we see as the problem may or may not be reality. We must first seek to understand. We must diagnose before we prescribe. Sure, it might take a bit longer; but the results are worth the effort and time.
- Read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
- Watch Stephen Covey speak on Habit #5 - Seek First to Understand Then to Be Understood.
- Take notes in your leadership journal.
- Determine if you need to make a change to how you listen.
Pam McDonald is a writer/editor for BLM Wildland Fire Training and Workforce Development and member of the NWCG Leadership Committee. The expressions are those of the author.
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