Can Less Really Be More? A Lesson from The Righteous Brothers

Author: Joe Giacomin | (248) 453-0092 | jgiacomin@asgteam.com

A story emerged when the famous singing duo, The Righteous Brothers, were recording their hit song, “You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling.”

For anyone familiar with this colossal chartbuster, Bill Medley opens the song with a solo performance lasting approximately 34 seconds. His partner, Bobby Hatfield, complained that he had no role in the song to the legendary producer, the late, great (and now infamous) Phil Spector until he chimed in at the beginning of the chorus. Hatfield asked Spector: “What am I supposed to do while Bill is singing?”

Mr. Spector replied to Hatfield: “You can go directly to the bank!”

While Hatfield contributed beautifully as the song progressed, I can’t imagine the opening segment being better had he sang along with Medley. In the case of this musical arrangement, Hatfield just needed to keep quiet. And wow, how it all worked out.

This example easily applies to our everyday communications…from casual banter at a social engagement to retail encounters and the highest levels of business transactions. Let’s face it: Sometimes, we just need to… well, shut up!

Imagine a sales presentation. The top sales training experts instruct that when a sales professional asks a question…especially a closing question, to simply remain quiet once the question is presented. How about this example? “Would you prefer the two or three-year lease program?” Too often, the salesperson just keeps on talking following a closing question…whether out of nervousness or thinking that they are impressing the buyer with how much they know.

The buyer may have been prepared to make a positive decision but was never given a chance to respond and the sale could be lost –maybe forever.

Possibly even worse, the buyer may have responded with: “I think I will go with the three-year lease”. Instead of writing up the order, the salesperson continued talking when he needed to be quiet and complete the transaction.

As recruiters, we often observe the same dialogue marathon from a hiring manager during an interview.  Typically, their enthusiasm for the company, people, and product may prevent a candidate from clearly presenting herself.  Job candidates may also tend to talk too much… or too quickly because they are trying hard to impress the interviewer. Their goal is to move toward a job offer.

By “pacing” the conversation and allowing a little breathing space before answering a question, the presentation will be more effective. The candidate also needs to ask great questions and then, you guessed it — shut up. The quiet may be deafening, but the response will be outstanding.

Bottom Line: In any type of verbal communication, we can’t expect to say everything or learn everything. By bringing it down a notch…or two, pacing the conversation…and LISTENING… not just long enough to reply, but truly listen and observe, the success rate

of every encounter in business or personal exchanges, will increase substantially.

You don’t need to use every crayon in the box. Bill and Bobby learned that on their way to the bank.

Purchasing an Electric Vehicle

Orderly Evolution May Be the Preferred Option.

For those who have followed this publication for any length of time, you may recall that for the better part of its existence, this column was titled, Straight from The Exhaust Pipe. Then one day, resulting from urgency by various auto companies to accelerate Electric Vehicle (EV) development, I decided to (somewhat reluctantly) “get with it” and change the name of this segment of my newsletter which for years, frequent readers came to closely identify with.

As for the ongoing move to EVs: Consumers have traditionally gravitated toward a product when it was more practical, economical, functional, reliable, available, and serviceable. Not much persuasion was required.

We evolved from whale oil… to kerosene …and on to oil and gasoline for the very same reasons. Think about the evolution of Vinyl Records, Cassette Tapes, Eight Tracks, CDs, and now digital music. At the same time, Vinyl is finding a place on the comeback trail — go figure. No mandates, either.

The Auto companies are discovering that one size might not fit all – and different power trains — be it Internal Combustion Engines (ICE), Hybrid, Full Electric, and who knows what else down the road?… Hydrogen, Solar…for Pete’s sake, how about the Nuclear Option?

The transition to EVs has created several challenges (and Mega-Dollar commitments) for manufacturers and their suppliers and a lot of confusion and indecision on the part of consumers.

Electric Vehicles are quite remarkable and have arrived on the scene equipped with spectacular technology. While they are destined to represent most personal and commercial transportation, I believe artificial regulation of EV purchases and/or the demise of ICE is not a logical solution. A more organic, market approach may be an answer.

Whale Oil, anyone?