Sorry for the delay. I was having computer problems on Monday but let’s continue….
A few weeks ago I read on a fellow bloggers website about a book called Treating People Well. I have been reading it for a few weeks now and I must say that it is an excellent book! You guys know that I love to share what I am currently reading and if there are any good pointers from the book then I will share it.
This book was written by Lea Berman and Jeremy Bernard. Both were social secretaries for the White House. Lea was the social secretary to the Bush Administration and Jeremy worked for the Obama Administration. It think that it is excellent that two people from different political backgrounds teamed up and shared their experience in working with dignitaries.
I wanted to share their section on the “Power of Charm”.
In the “Ease your Way in” section, Jeremy mentioned, “When you enter a crowded room, don’t walk up to people who appear to be engaged in an earnest conversation. Instead, look for a loose group of people who seem to be chatting casually. Make eye contact with one of them and extend your hand. (I’ve done this several times). Then say, “Hello, my name is…..”If it’s a more casual setting, like a barbecue, you can go with “Hi, I’m….” Then shake hands with others in the group, and enter the flow of the conversation. If you caught a little of what they were discussing when you walked up, that’s the best place to start: “Were you just talking about the last speaker? So powerful, didn’t you think? Or offer some tidbit of information about yourself, preferably with some humor, such as, “I’m Tom’s favorite brother. Okay, his only brother”.
One more tip that I wanted to share was the “Keep it Courteous“, steer away from topics that might make your dinner partner uncomfortable. If he mentions that his mother passed away recently, say you’re sorry for his loss and then change the subject. If someone says something politically charged that you disagree with, you can simply say, “I don’t agree” or “That’s not how I see it.” Again, change the subject. If the other person persists, say “I don’t think you’re going to sway any minds today! Maybe we should talk about something else.”
I thought that these were some wonderful tips and were more but I didn’t want to spoil the book. The book is PACKED of ideas and helpful information on how to deal with people. I work in a political office so this book has me heading in the right direction. I hope you are able to pick up a copy of your own. Enjoy!!!!
(photos via Pinterest)
