By Brad Reed
We’re very fortunate at the Business Executive Network to host some internationally renowned experts and thought leaders, and Beverly was certainly one of them. She is an expert in human behavior and has authored 9 books; 3 of which were best sellers. As a corporate trainer, coach, and consultant, she challenged us with valuable insights that are essential for optimal communication between leaders and team members.
She graciously shared findings from her book, Understanding Other People: The Five Secrets to Human Behavior and how leaders can use these secrets to improve communication and performance. There was an emphasis on taking responsibility for the fact that we all have filters and lenses through which we see the world. Sometimes, we are not actually listening to our staff but merely waiting for what we want to hear. Importantly, people have different communication styles, and we must first know what ours is and how it is expressed in the viewpoint of others and, of course, how we can best communicate to others using their style of communication.
Different people have different values, and they will judge the world around them based on these values. This has an incredible capacity to impact how others perceive us and their readiness to align around business strategy, goals, and direction. One of the best takeaways from this meeting was Beverly’s revelation about having a strong intention to understand the other person and frame the request we give them in a way that benefits them as well. This is very important because people are inherently self-motivated, and leaders must know how to properly motivate those they lead.
Members and guests of the network engaged in a very lively and well-rounded discussion with Beverly after the presentation. There were thoughtful questions, added insights, and even some challenges around the implications of cultural differences between foreigners and Vietnamese. As always, members had plenty of their own ideas and experiences to share which helped bring more Vietnamese context to all the key insights Beverly had shared. It was an extremely useful, practical, and valuable meeting, and we look forward to hearing from others like her in the future.