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How to Get Your Results Though Others

Guest post by: Harlan Goerger

Article Overview: Gaining cooperation is important to managers, salespeople and leaders. Here are 6 points that get the job done.

How to Get Your Results Though Others

6 Steps that Create Cooperation with Anyone! Your in a leaderships role, in sales or even as a parent; getting others to cooperate or get results can be challenging.

What can one do to gain the cooperation, not just this time but every time you require their cooperation?

Is this a pipe dream? Pie in the sky? Or a reality that can occur regularly?

Does it work, imagine a day care with toddlers all around and one autistic boy. There are many problems with autistic in behavior, thinking, cooperation and additional care.

With that in mind imagine this boy rarely acting up, eating like he never has before, not having accidents and showing self-discipline growth when at the day care! Unfortunately this is not happening at home. The difference, the 6 steps below.

Here is an approach that works, even with children and executives alike. ..

I'll lay out 6 points or steps that can move you towards this cooperative outcome, provided you follow the steps and develop your own skills as you go.

First: If you want cooperation from me, a business owner, customer or 6 year old; you need to have a planned outcome/goal/objective that the other party can understand, visualize and at least agree to at some level.

Without a clear outcome, where are we going, why are we doing this, what is the reason, how do I know when I'm there and countless other questions come up in the other persons mind. The more they question the outcome, the less motivation there is to comply!

How many times have you been asked to do something and wondered the same things? It stifles your commitment, provides a fuzzy picture and generally a "no" response.

Take time to create a clear picture of what the outcome should look and feel like. Why it is important to accomplish and why the selected time line. The clearer the picture the faster the buy in!

Second: Once the other party has a clear understanding of the objective and the questions addressed, it's time to have them buy in fully. Here is where "what does this mean to you" questions come out. I often call this a "meaningful discussion" where both parties openly discuss the importance of the outcome in terms they both understand.

The person cooperating with you has to have a reason for taking action. A 6 year old needs a reason to do something that makes sense to them at the time. The same goes for an executive, why would I put time and effort into this?

This may be the longest and toughest step and the most skipped! But without "buy in" there is not accountability down the road, rather "I really didn't see any value in that anyway." response becomes the norm and excuse. Future cooperation is now questionable.

Third: A clear objective with strong buy in now needs a plan of action. Far too often we pull out our "expert" hat and now "tell" them how to do the job. After all we've done it this way and so should they.

After all that work of getting "buy in" why not reinforce their feeling of worth and trust. Ask them how they would go about accomplishing the objective. Discuss the plan, provide a few suggestions if appropriate, but if their plan seems viable, let them go.

By the way, if you give them the plan, they are now off the hook for accountability! It was your plan that was faulty so they are not accountable. If it is their plan this excuse is now gone and they realize they hold the ball. It is amazing how innovative and creative people, even children can be when the outcome is in their hands.

Forth: Now let them go and do it. Check in on regular basis to observe and measure progress, provide insight or suggestions, coach, guide and measure. But, do not take over the project! This will kill the cooperation in a heart beat!

When people struggle through something they develop skills and thinking capabilities.They discover their strengths and weakness and learn how to utilize them. Once more a 6 year old can learn very quickly what they are good at, so can an employee or executive. This needs to be seen as a "learning experience" not a "I need this done" mindset.

That mindset is in your control and may be your biggest barrier.

The feeling of accomplishment that comes with struggle has no limit on value. Life long behaviors and thinking can be developed early on and even later on. (Old dogs can learn new tricks)

This guidance and measurement continues as long as needed, is adjusted as needed and the objective,"buy in" and plan are continually reviewed to keep the focus in the right area. Celebrate the small victories, even an "at ah boy" can mean a lot.

Fifth: It is accomplished! Even if it took a bit longer, perhaps wasn't perfect; that's OK. Was it a good experience for both of you? Did both of you grow in some way? Are both of you better off because of it?

Now celebrate in some meaningful way. Once more this does not always have to be some grandiose event. A 6 year old remembers getting that toy that cost a $1, the executive the heart felt hand written note of congratulations.

Sixth: REPEAT! 1-5

Often times I'm asked which is the most import of the 6? In reality they all are important, but the last 3 do not happen if the first 3 are not in place. Invest your time in the first 3 and the last 3 will be easier.

Yes this does work with parenting, leadership positions, customers, salespeople or others that you require cooperation from. Just be sure you mindset is about gaining meaningful cooperation not just getting someone to do something. It will make a differnece in both of you.

To your continued success, it's your choice!

HG :)

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Article Tags: cooperation, leadership, managment



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