Friendly Follow-Up – A Strategy for Success
Friendly Follow-up is best friends with Clear Communication; even so, it deserves its own spot. The key word is “friendly,” not frustrating, shaming, controlling, criticizing, venting, or micromanaging. Keep in mind that the effect of your words lasts long after you say them. Effective follow-up is a key strategy for success. Not simply because you get the job done, but because you are genuinely interested in the people as much as the results you are after.
There is a delicate balance between being persistent and polite. You do not want to micromanage the situation, but you do want to follow up with goals, tasks, ideas, events, networking, sales, etc. Use a tone of voice that is friendly and encourages people to look forward to the interaction. You don’t want them avoiding you when they see you coming. Liz Wiseman, the author of Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter, explains “The Diminisher is a Micromanager who jumps in and out. The Multiplier is an Investor who gives others ownership and accountability.”
Follow-up is not limited to conversation. It might be a note, a text, an email, a phone message, a gift, etc. The victory is in the volley. The volley is like the energy of a tennis ball or volleyball going back and forth over the net. Can you picture it? It’s not enough to simply say something. You want the volley in the conversation. You need to know if the other person heard AND processed what was said. People might “hear” the sound of your voice, but that does not mean that they understood and processed it.
Here are some tips:
- Give the other person time to complete the task or make a decision.
- Don’t rush them, but don’t wait so long that the momentum dies down.
- Above all, keep it friendly and succinct.
- Focus on the other person and not merely your checklist.
- Assess if they need more information or assistance to follow through.
Friendly follow-up is helpful in every area of life. It’s intentionally kind and can communicate a vote of confidence. However, if either party views follow-up as inconvenient or unnecessary, it can become harsh or discouraging. The goal is to follow up and follow through in a way that builds healthy relationships and leads to mutual benefit.
John C Maxwell – “Diligent follow-up and follow-through will set you apart from the crowd and communicate excellence.”
© Lori T Pruett On Track Solutions, LLC 2024