What does it mean to be available?

Is it about whether one can make it to a meeting, gathering, or something similar? To a degree, yes. However, this is only a slice of the pie or a piece of the puzzle! Being available is not merely about whether someone is physically able to do something.  – It is more about whether they are emotionally open and mentally capable of committing to a thing.

To make this real, let’s consider the familiar realm of employment. When we ask candidates whether they are available, we are not solely fishing for information about whether they have formally ended their relationship with their current employer. Instead, we are trying to figure out whether we have a real chance of convincing them that we are the worthy landing place for them at this point in their careers.

Yet when we focus on availability, we often limit the response to a physical dimension.

Seeking clarity.

What could we learn if we posed the real question? The one that allows someone to say, “I love this company. It looks like a great place to work, and I would love to be here. However, I have received a competing offer that includes a pension. Also, I have a child who was born with severe disabilities and would be reliant upon my wife and me for the rest of his life. Therefore, we need to ensure he will be taken care of when we are no longer working and around. So, I must ask: Is there any possibility of receiving a pension or equivalent at this company?”

In such an instance, if there is no equivalent benefit to a pension, the individual would likely decline the offer. And his decision would be fully understandable!

A lesson in what availability really is!

The story above is not fiction. Early in my career, I experienced it with a candidate. He was thrilled when he received the offer. However, I could tell something was being left unsaid. And I asked him the critical question: Other than you, whose opinion matters most in deciding on this offer? He responded, “My wife!” Typically, when a husband says this, I ask to speak to the wife because in a strong marriage, a wife has an unrivaled impact on her husband’s heart and mind. Without hesitation, he agreed to allow me to speak to his wife! When she got on the phone, she explained the situation with the tenderness, long-suffering, and strength of a mom who had endured plenty and was ready to do all she could for her child. It was all I needed to hear to understand. I knew it was not about me. – The right thing was for him to decline my offer and accept the other.

Understanding one’s availability happens when we have clarity on their motivation.
Next time you want to figure out whether someone is available, look beyond time. And consider asking the deeper question – the one that gets to their heart.

For you and to you,
Aké

Image credit: Pexels | Ashok Ayer