HR with Guts cards - Get your client to act 'as if'

If you've been receiving our newsletter for a while, you might be familiar with our three sets of cards. But in case you're not - each set focuses on an important area for HR people. They are actually proper playing cards too, (a fact I was recently reminded of when I found my children playing poker with them).

One of the sets is called 'building brilliant relationships.' It looks at ways to improve client skills and build productive client relationships, by covering four main areas:

Spades = understanding your client
Hearts = presenting information to your client
Diamonds = influencing your client
Clubs = building a trusting relationship

Since this newsletter is focusing on change and how to get your clients to agree to it, we thought it appropriate to carry on the theme and look at influencing your client. So the following tip comes from the 10 of diamonds:

What's on the cards? - An example

Get your client to act 'as if'
When a client is stuck about a situation or is closed to new ideas you can help them to identify new options by encouraging them to act as if they have already solved the problem or held a different view.

• Act as if the problem was solved.
• Act as if you did believe it was possible.
• Act as if your clients always took your advice.

Sometimes it is useful to carry on and take action 'as if'. In other situations just imagining the new scenario is enough to sprout new options.

'Know your business like your client' and 'Self Mastery' card sets are also available to help you test what you know and develop your team. For more information on either of them, or to order a set, just click here.