Nugget #21 - Put yourself in the shoes of the person you’re communicating with.

Imagine you are receiving the email you just wrote, or answered the call you’re about to make. Think about how your customer is trying to get their job done. Envision what they’re probably feeling.

Ask yourself:

— How does this message capture my attention?

— Does it align to priorities I really want to solve?

— Am I willing to interrupt my day to have this conversation?

This degree of empathy comes from having a deep understanding of your customer.

The best way to develop this empathy is to have a lot of conversations with people you want to help. Listen to what they care about and understand why. Figure out with them what would be valuable for them to spend their time on.

Once you get to this understanding of your customer you will feel like the trusted advisor you want to be and your customer needs.