What type of person thrives in the utility industry, according to a Community Relations Director at SMUD
Rhonda believes people who thrive in community relations are "willing to go out and talk to people and meet new people" while making them feel "heard and seen." Success isn't about transactional relationships, but about possessing the knack for making each person feel like they are the professional's "best friend."
Communication, Networking, Interpersonal Skills, Empathy, Customer Relations
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
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Traits
Rhonda Staley-Brooks
Director, Community Relations, Outreach & Support
Sacramento Municipal Utility District
California State University Sacramento
Executive Masters Business Administration
Psychology
Energy & Utilities
Communication and Marketing
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Greek Life Member, Transfer Student
Video Highlights
1. Willingness to meet new people and engage with a large and diverse customer base is crucial.
2. The ability to make people feel heard and seen is very important.
3. Focus on building relationships rather than engaging in transactional interactions.
Transcript
How would you describe people who typically thrive in this industry?
People are willing to meet new people. We have 650,000 customers, so I won't know every single one. But I'm willing to go out and talk to people, meet new people, and not be transactional.
It's not about just having a transaction where I want something from you and you want something from me. It's about making people feel heard and seen, which is very important.
It takes a special knack to make people feel like you're their best friend, even for a thousand people. A knack for making people feel heard and seen is very important in this role.
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