Have you ever gone out to eat with someone who says “I will order last; I am still trying to decide.”?  I lovingly refer to those people (aka me) as “pressure orderers”.  We almost always have it narrowed down to 2 or 3 items from the menu, but we need until the last possible moment to order because by then we will know what we FEEL like eating.

I am writing this article on November 8, 2016.  Unfortunately, this election has been very similar to a night out to dinner with me at your table.  It wasn’t until this morning that I was finally able to FEEL comfortable with my vote.  So I guess you could call me a “pressure voter”.

There are a lot of FEELINGS in the PEO space.  It is not discussed very often because there are many that are not comfortable with the “woo woo” stuff.  That being said, there are many more that not only are comfortable with their feelings, but they prefer to make their choices based on how they feel in any given situation.  It is sometimes difficult for the thinker or controller to manage a feeler, but it is in everyone’s best interest to identify the feelers and change tactics when necessary.

For instance, when recruiting for a position within your company, it shouldn’t just be about the numbers and/or experience that they may have, even when looking for salespeople.  Ask for information such as,

• How bad do they want the job?
• Are they proud of the previous work they have done?
• Do they have high integrity set for themselves?
• What have they been doing since their last job (if applicable)?

If something doesn’t add up – ask the candidate (or recruiter) for more information.  They would much rather have the opportunity to set the record straight than for you to assume the worst.  In those follow-up conversations is when you will get the real answer as to whether a candidate is a fit for your culture.  This is when feelings will surface.  If there is a fit into your culture, chances are much higher for a long-lasting employee than someone who is coming in with previous PEO, Prism, Summit, etc. experience.

It is fairly easy to identify a feeler.  They are high-energy.  They smile a lot.  They get excited about even the smallest things.  They are “in the moment’ when having a conversation – not on their phone or thinking about the next thing they need to say.  Do you have a feeler on your team now?  Are you communicating the same as you do with your thinkers or controllers?  If you are struggling with the management of your feelers, this could be why.  A thinker would prefer you email them, so they can think about it and get back to you later.  A controller wants you to text them and probably won’t even text back.  However, a feeler wants it all – a text, an email, and then “let’s chat about it so we can make certain we are on the same page”.  Yes, it is possible to be a combination of all 3, but there will be a dominant trait and that is the one to manage too.

Selling to a feeler is the trickiest of all.  When a PEO has a prospect, you want to present them with facts, figures, percentages, scare tactics, value added benefits, competition facts, etc.  When truthfully, for a feeler, the first person in front of them is the representative of the company and if they like them, chances are good that the deal will close.

You have probably figured out by now that I am a feeler, with a little other sprinkled on top.  So, when I woke up this morning, my first thought was that I got to go vote today with my 18 year old son who was voting for his first time.  Then, my second thought was – you better figure out who you are voting for.  I didn’t look at google once!!  I did not turn on the TV to watch the morning politicos.

My one and only priority was who was going to take better care of the United States so that as my children face their future, they will have a positive outlook and look forward to tomorrow each and every day.  This feeling guides many of my decisions in life.  I am proud of this.  I am proud of my children for wanting to take part in their future.  And, I am proud that I live in the United States and am able to make decisions based on what I feel is best for me and my family.

If you would like to share your thoughts on this article or have suggestions for future topics, please contact Tina at tina@mchenryconsulting.net.