iAspire To Prosper

Team building…relationship building…professional rapport…they’re all based on the same common foundation called trust.  These dynamics are created from a central recipe that blends intuition, respect, watchfulness and outcomes. The natural evolution of many business relationships starts with a phone call, followed up with electronic communication and ultimately ends with face-to-face interaction.  All along the way, our “business mind” is gathering and storing data about these interactions to determine if the individual is worthy of our trust. 

 With the introduction of virtual technology, we are still able to get some “sense” of the other person, but valuable information may still be missing.  Data like the “handshake’ information, non-verbal and body language information and even information from their aura or “vibes” are minimal…until a physical meeting occurs.  Presently, many work teams and business interactions remain in the “virtual world” without the opportunity of physical in...

Fist bumps – elbow taps – offering namaste (or if spoken, namaskar) – nodding…what does it all mean?  What’s happening with the decline of a good, old-fashion handshake?  Where is it going?  What is it being replaced with?  What do we gain and what information do we potentially lose?  When conducting business these days – we should be asking these questions and adapting our business demeanor to keep up.

Now that hand-to-hand interactions may be fading away, we need to find alternate pathways for acquiring the information that they once offered.  When facilitating business etiquette workshops, I’ve spent upwards of a couple of hours just reviewing, deciphering and then practicing the art of a successful handshake.  I emphasize that handshakes (especially in a business setting) serve as a non-verbal messenger between individuals.  It offers language; it offers unspoken intent.  Handshakes can make or break a connection before any real verbal interaction begins.  This age-old communica...

As we continue mapping out the “new normal”, one feature - the mask - has come into business reality.  For how long you might ask?  Truthfully, no one really knows.  While here, however, we need to avoid using “the mask” as an additional social barrier…at least, more than it was intended. 

 Back into my people-watching mode, I’ve noticed a growing trend where people are literally scurrying around one another.  Eyes averted, body stiff, quick paced – each person avoiding eye-contact, barely giving the weakest of nods let alone offering a simple “hello”.  It’s as though acknowledging others will somehow make the awkwardness of the moment even worse.  I often wonder - what are they thinking?  “I feel fine” or “This is ridiculous!”  Maybe it’s “I can’t breathe” or “Great, my glasses are fogging up again!”  Whatever the inner speak might be, we all need to recognize that social interactions and communication must continue.  Perhaps “acknowledgement of the awkwardness” makes the moment less...

Hello and welcome to iAspire To Prosper!  My name is Wilma Broussard and I’ll be facilitating this new journey into business relationships.  With nearly 30 years of professional experience and travels around the globe, I’d like to use this opportunity to share insights, observations and professional talents with you, the reader.  

My blog is based on the business principle of PROSPER – or – Professional Rapport Offers Successful, Productive and Energizing Relationships.  In order to do this, we’ll look at ways to help you discover how to build successful business strategies, polish your professional demeanor and ultimately strengthen and retain relationships.  Customers and colleagues want a relationship with you…it’s what keeps them engaged and coming back to you time and again.  People are pack-animals, by nature.  They want to belong; they want a network that offers them respect and safety.  Are you a good member of the pack?  If not, you may just lose your network.  Think of it an...