What is the temperature in here? Have you ever gone into a restaurant or store and there was clearly an issue with the temperature? It was either too hot or too cold and it was obvious to you that the guests were uncomfortable, yet the owner or employees didn’t seem to notice or care? Temperature is an essential element to the quality of the environment that we get to be a part of. Whether you are a business coach or a business owner or responsible for managing a team of people, it is a key component of what you do to be aware of the emotional temperature of your clients, employees, or customers.
My goal in each meeting is to kill fear.
As a business coach, we have the opportunity to work with people in all different industries and from all different walks of life. No business coaching session is exactly like another one because every person is different. As a business coach, one of my key responsibilities is to be aware of the emotional temperature of my clients. This requires intentionality. When I get together with the client, I have to make sure that I am asking specific questions to draw out what their current emotional state is and how this state is impacting their goals and our interactions. From there I must identify the biggest limiting factor that would prevent us from continuing down our business path. I am constantly asking myself, what is stopping this person from moving forward on their business plan.
Once I am able to identify my business coach clients’ emotional temperature and their biggest limiting factor, then I am able to focus my attention on being a thermostat. The thermometer measures the current temperature, while the thermostat actually controls the temperature. As a business coach, I want to be able to set the temperature. When it comes to energy, I bring a high level of energy. When it comes to hard work, I set the pace. When dealing with irritation and frustration, I lead my clients through with a calm stability. My goal in each meeting is to kill fear. If I am afraid or I do not know what I’m doing, then the temperature that I’m creating will be duplicated or replicated in my client. They will sense this and then they will start to feel this way. Because of this, I have to be very intentional to make sure that the temperature that I am creating is one of expertise and confidence in the systems and processes that we are helping them put into place.
Anytime you engage with a client or an employee or customer, go in with the mental acuity to be able to identify what the current emotional temperature is and then take steps to set it to what you wanted to be. If you are nervous or afraid or insecure, then they will be nervous or afraid or insecure. Some tangible ways to kill fear and set the temperature to where I want it to include playing silly music, asking open-ended questions, and starting every meeting with a win. Additionally, I make sure that I bring a high level of energy and volume. It is a key responsibility of you as an entrepreneur to be able to not only identify what the current emotional temperature of your location is, but also what the temperature of your customers are. You are then responsible for paving the way and being the thermostat so that you can set the temperature that will actually help you be successful in business.
Remember, every person is different. Becoming a thermostat is a skill that is essential to success and requires intentional development. Take some time to develop the skill. Create questions that you ask yourself before each meeting, and be intentional about increasing your awareness of the temperature that you are creating. Whether you intend to or not, you are creating a temperature. The only question is, is that the one you want to create. If you are able to create the temperature that you want, then you will find that success and the ability to lead people will come a lot more naturally. Take some time to ask yourself these questions. What emotional temperature do I currently live at? What is the current emotional temperature of my location/office environment/store? What is the emotional temperature of the clients or customers that I’m working with? What do I want the temperature to be? How can I get them there?
