Mary Kay Ash tells the story where she stood in line to speak to Mr. Stanley Beverage. He was the owner of the company where she was a new and struggling sales associate. The line was long, and Mary Kay feared that by the time she got up to speak to him he would begin to rush because he had been standing for such a long time. To her amazement he did not hurry through the line, but he took his time to really connect with each and every person. When it was her turn, he made her feel like she was the only person in the room! He did NOT look over her shoulder to see how many people were left in the line, instead he gave her his undivided attention using eye contact. This made such an impact on her that she decided then and there that if she was ever the person that people were waiting in line to meet, that she would model what she had experienced that day.
I have first-hand knowledge that Mary Kay put this very valuable people skill into practice when she was the person that everyone was standing to meet. I’ve never forgotten how she made me feel.
When someone sincerely connects with me it makes me feel special!
If our eyes really are the window to the soul, EYE CONTACT is the fastest way to connect with the heart of someone. It is not only annoying but it is downright rude when you’re talking to someone and they seem to be looking around you. Maybe the environment around you is busy, and there are lots of distractions around, that’s no excuse to not give 100% of our attention to the person standing right in front of us. As simple as this skill can appear to be it still takes daily practice to get it right.
Take the Challenge
So, the next time you’re talking to a clerk in a store, your children, spouse or maybe someone that you’re trying to influence in the business world, challenge yourself to stay engaged in the conversation by focusing one hundred percent of your attention into the eyes of the other person. Not only will they think you are the most amazing communicator they have ever encountered, they will know how much you really care! It’s the simplest fastest way to make others feel special!
