The QuickRead Method – Applications in Security, Sales, and Customer Service

If you deal with people as a part of your job or business it would benefit you to use all the means at your disposal to understand them better. Knowing how to identify non-verbal cues and communication can make a huge difference.

Depending on your goals, what you look for differs. With each facial feature or expression there are gifts, and there are challenges that you can clearly identify.

If you want to make comfortable small talk with a client, the side of their gifts is where to look. When working in customer service such as in a dental or medical office, as a hairstylist, esthetician, or staff member at a gaming table in a casino – you are not trying to counsel, coach, problem solve, or resolve conflict. Your goal is to make your client feel comfortable – so comfortable that they want to stay longer and come back often. Really seeing them – who they are, and being a great listener – available to them – and not triggered by them, is what you need.

If you are in sales, then in addition to making them comfortable with small talk, you want to identify the basic challenges a customer has so you can read areas where they will need more information – more support. You can give them what they need before they even have to ask. Very reassuring! You can also see when it’s time to do more listening than talking, when to ask if they have any questions, and when they have heard or seen enough to know their decision. This skill set is also what you will be developing as a relationship-based leader.

Maybe your job calls for even more than that. As a counsellor and coach I look to both my clients gifts and challenges to assist them to deal with their issues and utilize their strengths. My goals would be similar to other jobs such as police officers, security guards, or mediators. We encounter very stressed out people from time to time. We have to diffuse anger and head towards the best possible outcome in a variety of situations. We deal with people who may be overly medicated or for the other careers – may have had too much alcohol to drink. Even with mood or mind altering substances involved, at the core, the same gifts and challenges are apparent and seeing this information is very useful. How valuable would it be to know if this person is tending towards violence? Would it help to know if this person has a narrow point of view, if they are under pressure, hanging on - and will be unable to simply relax and shake it off as someone with a broader more flexible aspect would be able to do?

Of course, in each of the situations described above, your gifts and challenges are also involved and a necessary part of the mix. Knowing this information about yourself, as well as others could be a game-changer. Change your game with The QuickRead Method!

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