Today’s post is written by Heather Powell, Director of Customer Service & Project Manager at SafeSourcing Inc.

This is the eighth blog within the author’s series of Emotional Intelligence in Business explaining social skills and how it will affect and help your business. Despite a bevy of research and best-selling books on the topic, many managers still downplay emotional intelligence as a “touchy-feely” soft skill₁. The importance of characteristics like empathy and self-awareness is understood, sure, but intelligence and technical capability are seen as the real drivers of professional success₁. Evidence suggests quite the opposite: that high emotional intelligence (EI) is a stronger predictor of a success₁. In fact, high EI bolsters the hard skills, helping us think more creatively about how best to leverage our technical chops. ₁.

5). Social Skills. Proficiency in managing relationships and building networks, and an ability to find common ground and build rapport.

a.) Hallmarks of social skills include effectiveness in leading change, persuasiveness, and expertise building and leading teams _3.

Social competence takes many forms – it’s more than just being chatty. These abilities range from being able to tune into another person’s feelings and understand how they think about things, to being a great collaborator and team player, to expertise at negotiation. All these skills are learned in life. We can improve on any of them we care about, but it takes time, effort, and perseverance. It helps to have a model, someone who embodies the skill we want to improve. But we also need to practice whenever a naturally occurring opportunity arises – and it may be listening to a teenager, not just a moment at work ₄.

Identify and deal with your emotions: Whenever you have an argument with someone else, things can get heated. If someone involved is emotionally worked up, deal with that problem first. Take time apart to vent, blow off steam on your own, then return to the problem. In a work environment, this may just mean complaining to a friend before you email your boss back. In a romantic relationship, remind your partner that you care about them before criticizing. ₆

Address legitimate problems once you’re both calm: Once you’re in your right headspace, identify what the conflict is. Before you jump to solutions, make sure you and the other person agree on what the problems really are. Propose solutions that are mutually beneficial and be sympathetic to any concessions the other person may be unwilling to make (but be sure to stand firm on your own).₆

End on a cooperative note: Whether in business or pleasure, relationships work best when everyone involved knows that they’re on the same page. Even if you can’t end on a positive note, make sure that the last intention you communicate is a cooperative one. Let your boss/coworker/significant other know that you want to work towards the same goal, even if you have different views.₆

Social skills are where good emotional intelligence is perhaps most obvious.

However, emotional intelligence does not start or end with social skills. Instead, it is a cycle, with its core lying with and in the individual. Only those who understand and regulate themselves and their emotions are able to work well and effectively with others. Understanding this is crucial to developing your emotional intelligence.₅.

We enjoy bringing this blog to you and hope you find value in it. For more information on how we can help you with your procurement needs or on our “Risk Free” trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service Representative. We have an entire customer services team waiting to assist you today.

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_References:

_{1.http://www.dce.harvard.edu/professional/blog/emotional-intelligence-no-soft-skill}

_{2.http://cultureofempathy.com/references/Experts/Daniel-Goleman.htm}

_{3.https://www.sonoma.edu/users/s/swijtink/teaching/philosophy_101/paper1/goleman.htm}

_{4. http://www.danielgoleman.info/social-skills-and-eq/}

_{5. http://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/social-skills-emotional-intelligence.html#ixzz4HQ2pLRR6}

_{6. http://lifehacker.com/emotional-intelligence-the-social-skills-you-werent-ta-1697704987}

Today’s post is from our  SafeSourcing Archives.

Do you have a really good relationship with your supplier? Do you think an e-auction will harm that relationship?

If you said yes to any of the above questions, you are not alone. This is a common misconception within companies.

Research carried out by telephone interviews by CIPS  (Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply) in conjunction with Oracle and The University of West England, I-ADAPT (Independent Assessment of Development of Auctions as a Purchasing Tool) concluded that buyers and sellers, both interviewed, had shown no negative impact post e-auction. It helped organizations lower their purchasing costs by improving transparency and forcing buyers to be upfront with all purchasing requirements. Online auctions have strengthened supplier-buyer relationships without negatively affecting quality.

However, that may not always hold true if an online auction is thought to be executed unfairly or unethically. There are a few steps a buyer should consider before executing an online auction to maintain a strong supplier relationship post-auction.

1. Initiating the process:
• Assign a lead for the auction
• Select a commodity that is a good fit for multiple suppliers
• Ensure all specifications and terms for products/services are clear to a new supplier

2. Planning the Process:
• Decide what details you will need to make a decision (price, quality, service level, etc.)
• Develop an award strategy and criteria
• Set and agree on an auction schedule
• Notify the incumbent of your intention of the online auction. Nobody likes surprises!

When an e-auction is prepared in its entirety and has buy-in from the appropriate parties within the company, the live event will run smoothly without harming any supplier relationships. SafeSourcing is experienced with running the live events. We have the staff to provide all suppliers with direct communication and training. We want to make suppliers feel comfortable with the e-auction format, and based on our experienced SafeSourcing supplier database- we are doing just that!

If you are interested in seeing how an e-auction can bring great value to your company, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Services Account Manager or call us directly at 888-261-9070.

We look forward to your comments.

Today’s post is our SafeSourcing archives

The landscape of retail operations is changing faster than anyone thought possible.   With the change we are seeing new businesses born and quickly grow to huge levels and we are seeing long established companies who are unable to adapt begin their descent in total collapse.  The biggest reason for this is who the customer has become and how the changes and habits and in their “non-purchasing” lives have added to these huge changes.  So what are you doing to take advantage of these changes and keep your business relevant?

Will you sacrifice sales to do the right thing? – We all know that the lifeblood of a company’s survival is their sales.  If the sales aren’t happened the expenses don’t get paid.  Cuts are made and people lose their jobs.  This idea is so engrained into our way of thinking that the mere thought of purposely losing sales is retail heresy.  Several companies are finding that when they create programs for customers to facilitate the sale of existing used product to other customers, thereby losing those sales, that they actually increased sales during that time due to the fact that the sellers were buying newer products, extending service agreements and spreading the word that these companies worked with their customers to do the right thing rather than focus solely on making a buck.

Focus on the experience – We now live in a world where people’s lives are filled with social experience.  From the time they wake up they are checking news, sports scores, Facebook posts and Tweets before they even get out of bed.  All throughout there day these connections remain intact as they follow what is going on in the world and experience the news through a multitude of channels.  Retailers must take a cue from this change in lifestyle not only in the US but all over the world and create experiences for their customers both online and in their stores.  This may mean disproportionately investing in store floor sales staff or investing in new web design that does not always funnel the customer straight to a buying decision.

Work with, don’t fight technology – Technology changes everything and has been doing so for a long time.  It has removed some aspects of the corner store experience but it has created others such as selection, value and competition.  It has allowed companies to develop, manufacture, and sell more creatively and more efficiently than have ever been able to do and with fewer resources.  Every technology may not be right to adopt for your business but the awareness of what those technologies are and how you could benefit from them is something every retailer should embrace.  You don’t have to be the first adopter but being the last could put you out of business fast.

At SafeSourcing we understand and help companies every day embrace ideas like these and help them find partners and solutions that can help them leverage new trends and technology.  For more information on how we can help your business or on our “Risk Free” trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service Representative.  We have an entire customer services team waiting to assist you today.

We look forward to your comments.

Today’s post is by Gayl Southard, Administrative Consultant for SafeSourcing.

As a business owner, you might face the decision to require a uniform, or a dress code policy. There are many pros and cons to this decision.  Uniforms can make employees feel part of a team.  It can also give employees a professional image in the eyes of your customers, especially companies that have employees that visit customers in their homes, such as appliance installers, exterminators, etc.  On the negative side, the uniform may be made of heavy fabric, making it uncomfortable in warm weather.  Employees may not like how they look in the required uniform, or may believe the uniform is a symbol of control by their employer.  One major company has relaxed their dress code policy recently.

On July 25, 2016 Starbucks announced their new dress code. The Starbuck Dress Code allows their baristas their own individual style, while still presenting a neat, clean, and professional look.  Starbucks old dress code policy only allowed black or white shirt colors.  Now, gray, navy, dark denim and brown, including patterns are permitted.  Shorts, skirts, dresses and pants, including dark-wash denim are part of the updated wardrobe policy.  Employees are also permitted to make a “hair” statement with permanent or semi-permanent hair color – as long as it is within food safety standards.  Also beanies, fedoras, and other type of hats are welcome.  Some customer feedback was ”We like it.  We’re happy to see that you can wear expressive clothing to show who you are.”  There is some thought as to this dress code is what is already in their employees’ closet, making it easier to dress for work rather than to make their employees go out and purchase the white and black shirts previously required.

The iconic green apron still remains. Cosimo LaPorta, Executive Vice President, U.S. Retail Store Operations stated, “We want partners to be as proud of their look as they are when they tie on the green apron.”¹ Starbucks prides itself on ingenuity, continual innovation and customization in every business aspect.  They are confident that this will uplift the Starbuck brand, as well as the customer’s experience.

Uniforms has historically been  a very aggressive bid  category that has driven great savings for companies that still require them in their workplace.

For more information on how we can help you with your procurement needs or on our “Risk Free” trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service Representative. We have an entire customer services team waiting to assist you today.

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¹Starbuck Newsroom, 7/25/16