At the age of 16 I started an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic, it was a dream come true for me as I was a car enthusiast and really enjoyed motor racing. The beginning of success for me was being Masters Apprenticed under an old timer called Les Spilsbury, he was well in his 60’s and had started his trade in the late 1930’s. He was a great teacher and I lapped it up, he taught me the keys to succeeding.
8 SIMPLE LITTLE STEPS
1: Learn the clients name and use it.
2: Ask lots of relevant specific questions.
3: Listen to what they say and be interested.
4: Repeat what they say and nod in agreement to get confirmation.
5: Be observant of them and their vehicle.
6: Get permission to help them by making suggestions and solving their problems.
The 2 final and most important principals of all
7: Have a toolbox with ALL the right tools and SELECT the right tool to do the job properly.
8: Repeat all the above time and again.
These became life lessons for me, I often imagined Les Spilsbury, 
as a kindly faced Santa Clause with warmth and great wisdom. This became part of who I am today. I grew up in a family that served others. As a teenager, our house was a drop in for my mates, and as time went on, my parents helped many people whos lives were in dissaray or looking for solace and purpose in their lives.
My Mum and Dad took time to know people and serve, they shared their faith through hospitatlity and compassion. They both had succesful careers because their personal and professional life reflected their values.
For me business begins in the common places and common courtesy is the key to someone’s mind and heart. I’m intentional about how I speak to people on the telephone or personal interactions. I’ve had various businesses for 28 years to which I’m quite good. People have said my ability to be at ease and share professionally with people comes from my sales training, but I believe my ability to be at ease with people and sell is because my personal and professional life are aligned.
I enjoy and really like people I just ask general questions about their life whether that be about their favourite sports team, occupation, the weather, movies etc. If I meet people in shops or in their homes or work places I pay attention to what their wearing or reading. What’s on their walls or book shelves gives me clues to what they value most.
I always glance for books or other paraphernalia as a clue to their upbringing or passions.
Over the years I’ve had the privilege of sharing professionaly and personally with men and women about their lives, often amusing, at times searching for meaning, sometimes distressing.
People tell me their life stories or dreams often within minutes of meeting them; I just smile, listen and ask thoughtful directed questions. I silently listen and enquire of their thoughts, talking about the value of wisdom and direction, more often than not a question is asked or an observation is made that strikes gold.
A flood of emotion or a realisation is made by them about their lives, which leads to them now asking me questions about the source of my understanding or wisdom.
I’m very careful here and I don’t answer every question, if people are hungry they will search. I’m not their guru or sage, knowledge and wisdom first comes from searching or enquiring, rarely is it served up on a plate like supernatural dessert.
You see today I still have a toolbox but this toolbox has different tools, it has the good book, it has my prayers, it has questions, it has access to counsellors, it has compassion, it has non judgementilism, it has a family, it has coffee and tea, it has health foods, it has invitations to lunch with my family, but most of all I have COMPASSION in my toolbox.
I strongly beleive to be truly succesful in business and life you’ve gotta love people, because if you don’t love people you’ll only do things for money or personal gain, and if that’s all you desire you’ll lie, cheat and steal to get it.
The question I have for you is…
WHAT’S IN YOUR TOOLBOX?
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peterkaraoglanis 