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26 Sep 2013

What a Difference One Letter Can Make

This weeks blog comes to us from guest blogger Gary Hartman. Gary, who has more than 10 years experience as a business and sales coach, is the CEO and Head Coach at The Growth Coach in Boulder, Colorado. Gary works with business owners, managers and sales professionals to help them grow their businesses so they earn more and work less.

To learn more about Gary, visit his website at http://westernbusinesscoaching.com/

What a difference one letter can make

I was composing an email recently and came to the part at the end where I was asking the person to do something.  I was going to ask “Could you please…..”?  Instead, I decided to ask “Would you please…..”?  Now there’s a subtle difference, isn’t there?  If I asked Could, it leaves the decision entirely up to them…it’s about their choice.  If I asked Would, they can still choose but now I’ve made it a request – a little more about what I wanted.  In a polite way, it puts a bit more pressure on them to consider the request from my point of view as well as theirs.

Similar logic applies when you are thinking about doing something.  “I would…” dreams that maybe, at some point in the future, you might complete whatever it is.  No commitment, no deadline, and allows for a BUT… as a way to not do that.  “I could…” implies more desire, and also allows for a BUT, and that definition of the BUT obstacle allows for a plan of action to overcome it.  “I could…” subtly has the resolve to do it.

An example is about playing the piano (OK, so you’ve never dreamed of playing the piano, but work with me here).  “I would play the piano but I don’t have one”…end of story – let’s you off the hook.  “I could play the piano but I don’t have one”…begs the next question, “so what are you going to do about it”.  It leaves you with the demand for an action step to overcome that problem and get it accomplished.

What’s the point?  When you ask yourself if you would do something, think instead if you could do it.  Be like the little engine that Could!

For more about The Growth Coach, the #1 Business Coaching Franchise, visit www.TheGrowthCoach.com.

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