An Old Lesson Proves True by S. B. Redd
Early in a different profession, it was impressed upon me that three things were most important: people, places, and communication.
In the original context that I first heard this, a show producer surmised the formula to the success of the former American Sportsman weekly television series hosted by Curt Gowdy during the 1960s and 1970s was based on the aforementioned elements.
I found that to be true even in my former profession; for that matter, any profession that involved establishing working relationships. Without any of the three, we essentially have nothing and we’re left alone.
· People: It sort of speaks for itself. There is the cliché that no man is an island unto himself. The saying is true. Few people can live lives as a recluse. Those who cannot relate to people have issues that need to be addressed by professional supervision.
I’ve learned as a book author the way that I interact with people is paramount to my success. And in the publishing world, or any other business endeavor, we are not able to remain in existence without the relationships that we’ve established with our readers, customers, or clients. Some times it’s that relationship that makes the difference in our success or failure.
· Places: I remember back in high school a former teacher made note to our inability to get out and interact among people in different places has a strong impact on the way we perceive life. He made reference to a study that was made after the Watts riots of the 1960s in which many of the residents had ventured no farther than 20 square blocks from where they lived.
In this increasingly diverse and interrelated society, we need to be able to interact with people from all sectors of life. Alluding back to my former profession, an instructor of mine once said it is imperative that we have openness about ourselves. Openness means we’re not quick to judge others based on our limited perceptions and attitudes.
· Communication: In its purest definition, it is the process by which one person transmits information to another individual. The person that transmits the information is the sender and the person on the other end is the receiver. These roles reverse in the process.
In other words, we must be able to effectively interact with our readers, clients, and customers. Those who lack in this area have great difficulty of building successful business relationships. Of the two, I find that the receiver is probably the most important party in the communications model. That same instructor who shared with me the importance of openness also said we must be good listeners. How are we able to understand the needs of our clients and customers? How do we sometimes gain a reader, client, or customer? Some times it’s a matter of communication and listening to that person.
About S.B. Redd
S.B. Redd is the author of Temptation.com, which will be released February 11, 2009 through Xpress Yourself Publishing. Visit his network site at www.maverick-books.com or his social network at www.maverick-books.ning.com
