A Game of Inches

First… Let me be clear… I am a New York Mets fan! We will finish out this whole wild card situation soon. We will make playoffs. And we will advance and win the World Series. (need I digress)

"Baseball is a game of inches." One distraction. One delay... can be the difference maker in getting "the W" or "the L". The entire success or failure of the game can come down to such a small percentage of the total events that occur in the 9 innings played.

They say that 7% of communication is the words that we use.

38% is other vocal elements (tonality, pacing, etc). The final 55% is nonverbal (body language, gestures, etc).

So it makes all the sense in the world to me that we spend a majority of the time focusing on the 93% of communication that will allow us to become effective. But the enemy of excellence is effectiveness! I tell people often that 7% isn't much, but where I come from a 93 is a B+ and a 100 is an A+.

So for a moment. Let me make an appeal for all those who want to be excellent and not merely effective. An appeal to focus on the inches. To focus on the 7%.

In my world, language is critical. It can be the difference between a favorable introduction that is obtained or another conversation that ends - still politely - with someone who liked me and values the work that I do saying:

  • "Let me talk to them first" or
  • "I can't think of anyone..." or
  • "Let me talk to some people I know and see if any of them are interested" or
  • "Let me put together a list and email it to you" or
  • "I don't know anyone who needs this..." or
  • "They are probably already working with someone" or
  • "Why don't you give me some business cards, and I can pass them out to some of my friends" or
  • "I don't really like mixing my personal and my business relationships"

Have you ever gotten that?!

That same 7% - the words - can also be the difference with someone taking the meeting when I call them or not... So common to hear:

  • "What exactly do you do" or
  • "I already have everything that I need / I'm all set" or 
  • "I already have someone that I am working with" or
  • "I'm really busy right now" or
  • "I'd hate to waste your time" or
  • "Can you maybe shoot me over some info about what you do... I'll look it over and if I need anything I'll call you..." or
  • I'm just not interested" or

You ever hear anything that sounds like that?!

So what do we do?

What comes to your mind when you think of mastery?

Have you mastered the inches?

Are you automatic in your responses to these simple questions?

Are you the best in your firm? The best in your industry?

Are you excellent?!? Merely effective? Are you even.. effective?

Mastery... excellence... practice... the 7%... the inches are in our control!

"Shepherding the flock of God in the financial planning world!"Dave

Dave Resseguie