The Art of Noticing Others

It’s part of human nature to want to be noticed by those around you. As you know, much of social media plays on the dark side of this natural tendency. Everyone seems to be screaming “notice me!” and then measuring how much attention they’re garnering. The most successful hiring managers reverse this “wanting to be noticed” propensity. Rather than turning up the volume and joining in the “notice me” noise (look at my office culture, look at my high performers, look at my training, etc.), become the person who goes out of your way to notice others. Why does this work? The most obvious reason is there’s not much competition for this role. But more importantly, being noticed compels others to like you, trust you, and want to do business with you. Start with simple stuff like: I noticed you were on time for our appointment—that’s really professional. And then get more business specific: I noticed you closed four transactions in one month last year—how were you able to make that happen? If you spend the extra time and attention it takes to notice others, you’ll be rewarded with close professional relationships. It’s a great way to build a database of recruiting prospects who know and trust you.