Practices
The Business Development Conversation
The Business Development Conversation is an overarching framework that identifies five phases through which the conversation may pass and the attendant qualities that make each phase effective. While this sequence appears linear, in practice genuine engagement comes with responding to whatever arises in the moment. This does not preclude the intention to achieve specific outcomes but rather requires a more flexible and immediate approach. The art is in knowing where, what and how to contribute to the flow.
Each verb describes a stage in the conversation where joint action is required. The person leading the conversation creates the impetus for the needs of each stage to be met.
Connect > Discover > Clarify > Envision > Commit
Connect – where it is important for parties in the conversation to be present, open and clear on the context for the conversation.
Discover – where parties explore the prevailing needs; the business needs, the situational needs and/or the personal needs that have to be addressed to achieve a successful outcome
Clarify – where parties establish that the needs have been expressed authentically, that all parties are aligned and accept that these are the needs to be met
Envision – where parties create a clear and common view of what the future state will look like (when all needs have been addressed) thereby establishing a shared vision
Commit – where parties agree on what will be done in order to achieve the vision.
This framework can be applied to any conversation that has a purpose, however it is not a rigid process to be doggedly adhered to. It simply provides markers to assess if the level of engagement is real and likely to lead to te achievement of a constructive outcome
The Business Development Conversation – Connecting Requirements
You are connected to yourself
You are connected to the other person/people
- They feel you to be present and responsive to them
You are connect to the situation
- You are all clear on the purpose and context of the conversation
Supporting Skills
Being present and retaining composure under pressure
Reading engagement preference and adjusting
Setting the frame
Your actions
Greet purposefully
- Offer to shake hands but don't assume the other person wants to
Make general enquiry
- How are you going?
- How's your day?
- How’s business?
- How is your part of the business traveling this year?
Adjust your engagement style as you accept their answer
- They say; Interesting (Concept) - You ask; Why do you say that?
- They say; Busy (Action) - You say; Then let's get started
- They say; I'm so glad you asked. Let me tell you... (Relationship) You say; Really? Do go on....
Set the frame
- The reason for this conversation is to...
- Why we are meeting today is to discuss is...
Check for acceptance
- Is that your understanding?
- Will that be of benefit?
The Constructive Conversation - Discovering
You discover what their needs are
Requirements
You confirm the needs of the business
Effective questioning
- Closed questions (trigger a yes/no answer)
- Are you?
- Do you?
- Will you?
Open question (trigger a detailed answer)
- Why is that?
- How did you know?
- What tells you that?
ORID Questions (from the objective into action)
Observation
- What did you observe?
- What do you see happening here?
Reflection
- What did you make of that?
- What, in your opinion is driving this?
Interpretation
- What does that mean?
- What do you think are the implications?
Decision
- What will be done in future?
- How do you think we should proceed?
Listening for need
- Malsow – is their unmet need associated with Physical, Safety, Belonging, Self-esteem or Self-actualisation needs?
- To appreciate the needs of others you must drop status and allow yourself to be moved.
Your actions
Closed question / open question / ORID combination
- (Closed) Are you getting what you need?
- (Open) What’s missing? What’s going well?
- (ORID – Observation) What do you see happening?
- (ORID – Reflection) How do you react when you see this?
- (ORID – Interpretation) What would happen it that wasn’t addressed?
- (ORID – Decision) Would would you like to see done?
Throughout Discovery
- Drop status and be prepared to disclose as this encourages others to open up to you
- Continually reframe around what’s best for their business
- Given that your business needs skilled and motivate people…
- Knowing that the people get upset when they aren’t provided with information…
Check for understanding
- Tell if I’ve completely understood you…
- Have I got this right…?
- Am I correct in saying…?
The Constructive Conversation - Clarifying
Requirements
You confirm that your understand the needs of their business
You confirm their personal needs
Supporting Skills
Making meaning – synthesising information in clear expressions of need
- From what you’ve said, what people need is...
- What seems to be most important to you and your team is....
- Clearly these things need to be addressed…
- These are the agendas that have to be considered…
Speaking the truth - Disclosure/advocacy
- It seems to me that what is happening here is...
- What's driving my view is this...
- What I observe is…
- It’s important that you also consider...
- The tasks I’ve been assigned to complete are …
Your actions
Once all agendas and needs have been articulated, synthesise the scope of the engagement in terms of needs:-
- The business needs …(certainty, sustainability, management of risk, protection of reputation etc)
- The people need…
- The community needs…
- Your needs and those of your team are … (profit, momentum, nimbleness, efficiency, skills,confidence, etc)
- Is this correct?
The Constructive Conversation - Envisioning
Requirements
You co-create a vision for a future when all major needs are met (within the bounds of possibility)
Supporting Skills
Imagination
- Holding all the needs in your mind and imagining a future where all needs are met
- Being inclusive
Bottomlining
When needs appear to be general or fluffy, getting to the bottomline where the understanding of the needs is aligned:-
- Survival of the business
- The future of the community
- Professisonal integrity
- The truth etc.
Your actions
Resist articulating or asking for a solution until a shared vision has been created
Prompt the other person by suggesting possibilities:-
- If we could work together in a way that simply made your business stronger…
- What would it look like?
- What would be a long term outcome that would satisfy everyone?
Again, avoid being assumptive. Check for acceptance (low status):-
- Would that be a good result?
- Would that satisfy all your requirements?
Once you have achieved a common vision, articulate it clearly (high and low status):-
- OK.. What we both want is this…
- I can see where we are heading. By the end of this engagement we will have achieved the following…
Conversation - gaining commitment
Requirements
You gain explicit commitment to achieving the vision, including joint commitment to execute all actions required to achieve the vision.
Supporting Skills
Articulating S.M.A.R.T. actions:-
- Specific – precisely what will be done
- Measureable – obejctive measures that can determine if it has been done
- Achieveable – agreement that the action can be achieved
- Responsible – someone is accountable
- Timebound – deadlines have been set
Retaining your composure under pressure – ABCDE
Your actions
Refer to the vision to create a solid frame and motivation to proceed:-
- In order to achieve your goals…
- In order to serve the wider business through this process…
As above. Articulate the dimensions of the commitment:-
- Specific – You will provide access to this information…
- Measureable – … this quantity and quality of data …
- Achieveable – … giving you enough time to make it available …
- Responsible – This will be provided by …
- Timebound – … by this date.
Again, check for acceptance and understanding.
- Are you good with that?
- Is there anything that’s not clear?
- Are you confident we can now proceed?
If you want to discuss this practice in more detail, or be trained, coached or mentored in the practice to lift your BD performance, contact us and let's talk. We can create the right experience for you or your team.
authorDavid McCubbin
