This week I was working with my customer who kept running into the same problem with their client. Their client is a perfectionist and, of course, there are more mistakes with orders than normal. Why is it that with the perfectionist, my client makes more mistakes than they do with other customers?
It happened with my client because they put all of their attention on their customer.
What does this mean to put your attention on the other person? For me, it means that the client becomes more interesting than myself. It means I am interested in pleasing the client. I notice how the client reacts. I am making up stories about what the client is thinking. I notice their body language. I know what the client wants but I am not clear what I want. All that time, I am unaware of what is happening with me. When I become more aware of the client than myself, the client has all of the power.
When I put all of my attention on the other person I lose my power!
What the client is focused on is what comes into reality. So, if they’re a perfectionist and they are worried about all the mistakes, I pick that up and start making mistakes. So what do you do in a situation like this?
Do as a dancer does.
Dancers know they have to keep their attention on themselves. If two dancers put their attention on each other, they would be tripping over each other. To be successful dancers, they have to keep their attention on themselves and the space they are sharing. When they do this they are able to move effortlessly with their partner.
By keeping attention on yourself, you become present to what is.
You can notice what is true for you but not move into the space of the other person. You can set the intention of what you want to happen. By keeping your attention on your outcome, you will have power.
Exercise:
When you are with your client, notice where your attention is. Bring your attention back to yourself by taking a breath in and exhaling down to the ground. Feel your feet on the floor or bottom in the chair. Then, instead of looking directly at the client, pay attention to the space around the client. This is how to keep the attention on yourself to be your best for the client.