Author: Dr. Andreas Kokott (About the author)
Words Shape Reality
Words reflect reality. This may sound obvious, but the words we use also have an impact when referring to people.
We need to distinguish between the words we use officially and those we use behind someone’s back. The choice of words is closely linked to respect.
We notice this in every area of our lives. Let us focus on the business world. In any business, there are customers, potential customers, suppliers and employees.
What does a manager call their employees?
Using people’s names is always an option. But that is not the point here. The issue is the way we describe them.
Imagine a manager introducing one of their employees to a customer:
“This is Ms X. She is our leading specialist in area Y and will be your main point of contact.”
How will Ms X feel? How will the customer feel?
The chosen words convey recognition and respect. Ms X will want to live up to that recognition and deliver good work. The customer will be pleased to have an expert at their side who can solve their problems.
As we can see, everyone benefits from choosing the right words: Ms X, the customer and the manager.
Now imagine the introduction had been different:
“This is Ms X. She will take care of your order.”
Ms X is reduced to just another employee.
Here are a few examples of how word choice makes a difference:
- Team or team members conveys the impression that everyone works together.
- Colleagues suggests a relatively flat hierarchy.
- Expert or specialist shows that an employee’s skills and performance are valued.
The same applies to customers
A customer has a problem with a delivery and contacts our company. Naturally, we are friendly during the phone call. But what happens after the conversation?
Franz from Accounting calls Maximilian in the warehouse:
“Customer Z is being a nuisance because the delivery hasn’t arrived yet.”
Or:
“That idiot with order number 123 has called. We can’t exactly deliver it by helicopter. Is he getting impatient again?”
The customer may not hear this internal communication directly, but it still has an impact on employees.
A neutral and respectful request such as:
“Could we please check whether Mr Z’s delivery is already on its way?”
can make a decisive difference.
After all, nobody particularly enjoys searching for an item when the impression has been created that the customer is especially difficult or annoying.
If, on the other hand, the request is phrased without any derogatory judgement, the warehouse employee, Maximilian, will be more willing to look for the delivery.
Recognition can also improve performance
Interestingly, appreciation can also be used to reduce errors and improve communication.
The advantage for any manager is that this approach costs nothing.
Here are a few examples:
Could an employee be friendlier? Simply telling them so is unlikely to help.
But what if we praise them by saying that a customer has made very positive comments about their friendliness and that we have noticed and appreciated it ourselves?
The employee is then likely to behave in a friendlier manner.
Reality follows words.
The same principle can be used to reduce the error rate.
All we need to do is change the designation. The employee is officially given the title of “Packaging Specialist”.
Here, too, reality follows words.
A specialist is expected to make fewer mistakes. They will therefore work more carefully and pay closer attention to detail.