Lessons From A Diplomat On How To Build Business Relationships
Successful businesses are built on strong relationships. Business leaders often need to step into the shoes of a diplomat, developing and managing complex relationships with many diverse groups.
"There is a lot of common ground between diplomacy and business," says Carey Cavanaugh, a professor of diplomacy at the University of Kentucky and a former U.S. ambassador stationed all over the world for over two decades under both the Clinton and Bush administrations. "Entrepreneurs can draw from the diplomatic tool box to be more effective," he says.
Try these tips from a seasoned diplomat"s toolbox to help you build solid business relationships that last.
1. Be honest about what you can reveal.
Diplomats are known as "people who lie for their countries," and corporations are often seen as equally deceitful. But in both cases, telling the truth is essential for success. "Truth builds a solid reputation," Cavanaugh says. "It"s the key to establishing long-term relationships that you can rely on in a crunch."
When secrecy is essential, with an upcoming product launch or a private personnel issue, don"t compromise honesty. "You can keep secrets and still tell the truth," Cavanaugh says. Just be honest about what you can and cannot say.
2. Do your research.
Just as a diplomat would learn about a culture"s customs before a visit, learn as much as you can before you try to connect with a customer, peer, or potential partner. Learn what they value, how they behave, what their long-term interests are, and what they need or want.
Use that knowledge to help you craft your message or product, address specific needs, and show that you understand their values. "You"ll avoid missteps," Cavanaugh says.
3. Listen more than you talk.
Diplomats and business people have a reputation for being pushy, but the best take time to listen. "Half the job is about saying what you want or need, but the other half is listening," Cavanaugh says. "It"s as important to listen as it is to speak."
Listening makes the other party feel valued, helps you identify their needs, and allows you to respond more creatively. "When you listen, you can often find solutions that evade others," Cavanaugh says, making you more likely to reach your goals.
4. Don"t discount the little guys.
The relationships you"re building today, even those that seem inconsequential, are worth attention and care. "Relationships that don"t seem important now will come back to you later, though you won"t know when or how," Cavanaugh says.
A casual acquaintance may be the key to your next innovation, just as a tiny country may be the next major oil source for a diplomat. Build lasting relationships by treating others with integrity and giving your full attention when you"re with them.
5. Stay true to your values.
In any negotiation or business decision, choose solutions that fit your values, even if they"re not the easiest or cheapest options. "When you deviate from [your values], there’s a hard price to pay," Cavanaugh says. "It takes a long time to get a reputation back."
It"s easiest to lose your values when you"re getting impatient or growing rapidly, so in those moments, remember what you stand for. The more you act on consistent values, the stronger your business will be in the long run and the more your consumers will trust you.
成功的企業往往建立在牢固的關係上。企業領導通常需要站在外交官的立場上，同形形色色的人建立發展各種各樣複雜的關係。
“外交和商務有諸多相似之處”肯塔基大學外交學教授卡雷 加瓦諾說。加瓦諾曾任美國大使，在克林頓和布什政權下的20多個年頭派駐世界各地多個國家。“企業家能從外交技巧中受益良多”他說。
以下是來自這位老牌外交官的建議，幫助企業建立持久穩固的商業合作關係：
1.實話實說
外交官被稱做是“為國家而說謊的人”，在人們眼中，公司也會為了自身利益而說謊。然而無論是外交還是做生意，誠信才是成功的關鍵。“說實話能為你贏得良好的聲譽。”加瓦諾說。“唯有這樣，企業才能建立長久持續的合作關係，那種在危急時刻依然能夠依靠的關係。”
和對方談需要保密的內容時，像即將到來的產品釋出會或者私人問題，不要捨棄誠信。“你在說實話依然能夠保守秘密”加瓦諾說。坦誠地告知對方哪些東西你可以說，哪些你不能講。
2.做好功課
外交官在出訪之前都會了解目的國的文化習俗。同樣，商界人士在接觸客戶、同行、潛在合作伙伴之前也要儘可能地瞭解他們。瞭解他們看重什麼、他們的行為模式、長遠利益和所想所需。
這些準備可以幫助企業更好地塑造產品、形象，滿足客戶的不同需求，同時也向他們傳達公司對其價值觀的認同。“這能幫你避免許多錯誤”加瓦諾說。
3.多聽少說
外交人士和商界人士都以“強硬”著稱，但是他們中最棒的是那些會花時間傾聽的人。“不要只顧著說出你的需求，也要傾聽他人。”加瓦諾說道。“聽和說同等重要。”
傾聽能讓對方覺得受到重視，也可以幫助你瞭解、滿足他們的需求，做出更積極的迴應。“當你真正傾聽時，你能避開許多錯誤，找到最佳解決方案。”加瓦諾說。你也更容易達到自己的目標。
4.對待小人物也不打折扣
即使是那些看起來無足輕重的關係也值得你關注。“現在看起來無關緊要的關係，可能在以後會幫到你。儘管你現在還不知道它會什麼時候以什麼樣的方式幫到你。”加瓦諾說。
5.忠實於你的價值觀
在任何談判或者商業決策中，都要選擇那些符合公司價值觀的方案，即使這些方案不容易實現，成本也較高。“如果你背離價值觀，付出的代價會更大。名譽失去難挽回。”
當企業飛速發展、變得心浮氣躁時，會容易喪失其價值觀。所以在那些情況下，要記住自己的立場。如果企業能夠不斷踐行其價值觀，最終就會變越來越強大，也會贏得越來越多顧客的信任。
Lessons From A Diplomat On How To Build Business Relationships
Successful businesses are built on strong relationships. Business leaders often need to step into the shoes of a diplomat, developing and managing complex relationships with many diverse groups.
"There is a lot of common ground between diplomacy and business," says Carey Cavanaugh, a professor of diplomacy at the University of Kentucky and a former U.S. ambassador stationed all over the world for over two decades under both the Clinton and Bush administrations. "Entrepreneurs can draw from the diplomatic tool box to be more effective," he says.
Try these tips from a seasoned diplomat"s toolbox to help you build solid business relationships that last.
1. Be honest about what you can reveal.
Diplomats are known as "people who lie for their countries," and corporations are often seen as equally deceitful. But in both cases, telling the truth is essential for success. "Truth builds a solid reputation," Cavanaugh says. "It"s the key to establishing long-term relationships that you can rely on in a crunch."
When secrecy is essential, with an upcoming product launch or a private personnel issue, don"t compromise honesty. "You can keep secrets and still tell the truth," Cavanaugh says. Just be honest about what you can and cannot say.
2. Do your research.
Just as a diplomat would learn about a culture"s customs before a visit, learn as much as you can before you try to connect with a customer, peer, or potential partner. Learn what they value, how they behave, what their long-term interests are, and what they need or want.
Use that knowledge to help you craft your message or product, address specific needs, and show that you understand their values. "You"ll avoid missteps," Cavanaugh says.
3. Listen more than you talk.
Diplomats and business people have a reputation for being pushy, but the best take time to listen. "Half the job is about saying what you want or need, but the other half is listening," Cavanaugh says. "It"s as important to listen as it is to speak."
Listening makes the other party feel valued, helps you identify their needs, and allows you to respond more creatively. "When you listen, you can often find solutions that evade others," Cavanaugh says, making you more likely to reach your goals.
4. Don"t discount the little guys.
The relationships you"re building today, even those that seem inconsequential, are worth attention and care. "Relationships that don"t seem important now will come back to you later, though you won"t know when or how," Cavanaugh says.
A casual acquaintance may be the key to your next innovation, just as a tiny country may be the next major oil source for a diplomat. Build lasting relationships by treating others with integrity and giving your full attention when you"re with them.
5. Stay true to your values.
In any negotiation or business decision, choose solutions that fit your values, even if they"re not the easiest or cheapest options. "When you deviate from [your values], there’s a hard price to pay," Cavanaugh says. "It takes a long time to get a reputation back."
It"s easiest to lose your values when you"re getting impatient or growing rapidly, so in those moments, remember what you stand for. The more you act on consistent values, the stronger your business will be in the long run and the more your consumers will trust you.
NADIA GOODMAN, ENTREPRENEUR
http://www.businessinsider.com/5-lessons-for-diplomatic-business-relations-2013-7