Handling objections - training for managers and influencers

The London based "Skills with People" course will teach you a different approach to handling objections from the one you’ve probably heard before.  We say, Don’t answer the objection – at least, not as your first response.  It’s only natural to want to answer the objection as soon as you hear it, but that, as you may have discovered, only gets you into argument and fails to convince.  The reason is that it lacks emotional intelligence.  Furthermore, don’t pre-empt the objection – that is, try to answer it before it’s raised.  And don’t try to prevent people from raising objections.  These responses also fail for the same reason.

Instead, encourage objections, and show your understanding and respect for the genuine concerns behind them*.  In other words, the key skill needed to handle objections is the skills of listening with empathy.  If you can learn to listen with empathy as your first response to an objection your persuasive power will be transformed.  This is a listening skill. If you want to discover whether you need to brush up your listening skills, try our emotional intelligence test.

For most people listening with empathy is not easy.  It goes against the grain, especially when you’re in the middle of trying to convince someone or persuade them or sell to them.  That’s why the "Skills with People" course provides lots of coaching and practice so that you can fully integrate this difficult response. 

*  Showing that you understand someone’s point of view is not the same thing as agreeing with them.  Understanding does not imply agreement.