The Changing Phases - Chapter 22 - Let's Cheer Together

In the afternoon, Josan was explaining concepts to the employees. Everyone was diligently taking notes and attentively listening to the lecture. They all hoped to showcase their abilities and stand out among the crowd.

Josan said, “When no one knows you, their impression of you is limited to your appearance. Foreign experts have said that first impressions can shape people’s opinions about you. Whether this impression is good or bad is ninety percent based on your appearance and demeanor. If the impression is good, many of your viewpoints will seem reasonable to them. If the impression is bad, it’ll be hard for you to have common ground. This principle is not just relevant during training but also crucial in daily product promotion. This is why we always emphasize that employees who interact with the public should maintain a good image.”

Liu Yuxin began to daydream again, recalling her first meeting with Zhao Junyang. Back then, she was dressed unfashionably, adorned with numerous hair bows. What impression did she leave on him at that time? Could such an image have moved him? Shaking her head to dispel the worries, she realized that thinking too much about it was futile. There wouldn’t be any more intersection between them; this question would remain unanswered.

Josan seemed to notice that Liu Yuxin was distracted and cast an irritated glare at her. Liu Yuxin quickly sat up straight. Yes, she reminded herself, she shouldn’t be distracted at such an important moment. Josan paused briefly and continued, “Of course, a good image is just the beginning. To gain more favor and recognition, you need to prepare a distinctive opening remark. You can compliment your audience, pose a question to them, or present an engaging example. These skills need to be understood and honed through daily experience.”

“Liu Yuxin.” Hearing her name suddenly called, Liu Yuxin was startled and immediately stood up. Josan smirked disdainfully, a glint flashing in her eyes. She spoke slowly, “Since Miss Liu graduated from a prestigious university, you must have a lot of experience with public speaking. I noticed you were deeply immersed in thought just now. If all these people were new employees, how would you start your speech? Please come up to the stage and demonstrate for everyone.”

Liu Yuxin broke into a cold sweat. Not even in front of reporters had she felt this nervous. In that instant, she seemed to see a triumphant smile on Josan’s face. With a heavy heart, Liu Yuxin walked slowly towards the stage, a seemingly endless journey. She finally reached the stage, turned around, and saw a sea of expectant eyes. Her heart began to race, and her face turned red with anxiety. Every single person here was a top university graduate with exceptional speaking skills. She had barely gotten started when Josan had called her up, giving her no time to gather her thoughts.

With a look of deep frustration, Liu Yuxin stammered, “Hello everyone, I am very pleased to be training with you…” She racked her brain, trying to recall the trainer’s opening remarks from when she first joined the company. “Uh… You’ve all made a very wise choice by joining this company. Lanyu is a great platform for development, where you will realize… your self-worth…”

Liu Yuxin couldn’t continue. She was utterly unprepared and her mind had gone blank. Normally, such an introduction would be scripted and memorized beforehand, ensuring a smooth delivery. Now, she was stumbling over her words, unable to say anything coherent.

Liu Yuxin knew that Josan had done this on purpose, punishing her for zoning out during the lecture. Josan, with her extensive experience leading numerous training sessions, had immediately noticed Liu Yuxin’s distraction. The mockery and skepticism from the audience deeply humiliated Liu Yuxin. Was it really necessary for Josan to treat her this way just for a moment of inattention?

“Return to your seat,” Josan said sternly, beginning to critique Liu Yuxin’s remarks. “Miss Liu showed some smart thinking by starting with a compliment to close the distance between herself and the employees. However, she made a significant mistake by using the term ‘you’ in her address. Though it seems minor, the audience will interpret it as: your work has nothing to do with me, I’m just here to train you, and once I’m done, my job is over.”

Josan scanned the audience with a serious look. “Lanyu is a team, and we are all part of this team. Everyone should maintain a positive attitude and be dutiful, not just go through the motions. So, to bridge the gap, you should use ‘we’ rather than ‘you’.”

Josan’s blunt critique made Liu Yuxin feel embarrassed, but it was also undeniably accurate. Even though Josan had targeted her, her feedback was valid. In that moment, Liu Yuxin silently resolved never to let her mind wander to personal matters during work again.

Josan glanced at the audience and said calmly, “Next, I’d like to invite another person to come up and share their opening remarks. Who would like to volunteer?”

This was a chance to shine. Everyone wanted to try but hesitated, fearing they might perform as poorly as Liu Yuxin had. Failing to impress could worsen their image.

“I’d like to try,” someone stood up, confidently walking to the podium. She smiled politely at Josan before turning to address the audience. “Dear new employees of Lanyu, hello. I am Han Mengwei, and I am very happy to meet you all. Being a salesperson is very demanding, but at the same time, it allows us to make many women more beautiful. Seeing their satisfied smiles is very meaningful. In the days ahead, we will research how to better improve the customers’ skin, enhance their makeup, and seamlessly integrate our professional knowledge with product promotion to achieve higher sales. I believe we will make significant progress.”

There was a burst of warm applause from the audience.

Josan nodded with satisfaction. Liu Yuxin could see Josan’s appreciation for Han Mengwei. She felt a bit disheartened; her own performance had been so poor. Even if she couldn’t speak as well as Han Mengwei, she should have at least done a passable job.

Josan gave a succinct evaluation of Han Mengwei’s opening remarks: “The best part was that she clearly told everyone what they would learn and why. This builds a lot of trust.”

Liu Yuxin felt immensely embarrassed. She resolved to listen carefully to Josan’s explanations from now on, take thorough notes, and remember every key point, because each one was very important.

Liu Yuxin needed to erase today’s poor impression from people’s minds. She was determined to work twice as hard. Her stubborn personality wouldn’t let her admit defeat.

So, Liu Yuxin, keep going!