Do you have a manager that seems to wriggle off your hook each time you try to reel them in?

You know, the one that;

👉 ignores your advice
👉 doesn’t see your value
👉 views you as a reactive function
👉 aaand neglects to involve you in things when they really should

Yep – I bet you are thinking of someone right now! 🙄

So how do you deal with these challenging managers? This was the topic of our live Q&A session last week inside HRHQ

During our conversation we shared our experiences and advice – here is a snippet of what I contributed to the discussion 👇

In your role in HR you offer a highly valuable solution for managers. You know how great you are and you know that the manager will benefit greatly from using your services

But, sometimes they don’t know or believe that – which is when you may need to ‘sell yourself’

So my advice was, approach this like you would do if you worked in sales/marketing 💡

What would you do if you were selling an amazing product or service, but people still weren’t buying?

Well, a savvy marketer would focus on the below areas – and you should to;

𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 👀

Get in front of your ‘customer’. Instead of billboards and Facebook ads, make your presence known by actively participating in meetings, hot-desking, meeting 1 on 1, and ensuring they can see you and the great things you are doing. The more they see you, the better

𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 ❌

It’s crucial to grasp why they are hesitant to “buy” so that you can effectively address their concerns. Is it a matter of ‘cost’? Perceived value? Trust in the brand? Previous negative experiences? Identifying these objections will guide your next steps in overcoming these obstacles

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 🔍

Maybe your ‘buyer’ doesn’t even know they need your service. They don’t know they have a problem that you can solve. With that in mind, what can you do to help them see where they may have gaps and how you can add value to them? Can you nurture them on the journey of discovery?

𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐟 ⭐

Even after creating awareness of what you can offer, some reservations may remain. Social proof can be a powerful tool to nudge them forward. But instead of 5 star reviews and testimonials, can you get other managers to share the support you have provided them? Can their manager advocate for you? Additionally, highlighting other managers achievements in team meetings where the resistant manager is present can also be beneficial.

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Whilst this can be tricky, and it may take some time, it is possible to overcome these challenges! Having done it myself many times before, I can assure you it is worth the effort.

If you want to catch the recording of this Q&A session, this has now been added to the video library inside HRHQ.

Not a member? – learn more and join, details in comments 😍