"I am convinced that nothing we do is more important than hiring and developing people. At the end of the day you bet on people, not on strategies." ~ Larry Bossidy.
One of the most gratifying things that can happen to us in business is when an associate from years gone by calls or writes to convey appreciation. The cauldron of daily expectations has been replaced by warm insights that come from a detached introspection. Lessons have been learned. Someone once said to me "What happens if we invest in developing our people and then they leave?" My answer was 'What happens if we don't, and they stay?" It doesn't matter whether people stay for decades or leave in a week ~ Lessons remain. Develop & Invest (both emotionally & otherwise) in your people. Remind yourself every day ~ Rule One In Business & Life Is ~ "It's the people stupid".
. "Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." ~ William Arthur Ward
There are some things that really put life in perspective. We can't buy them and we certainly can't sell them. They are simply priceless. Here are 10 of my personal "Priceless Things". What are yours?
"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will." ~ Vince Lombardi
What would you say are the most commonly agreed ingredients baked into the cake we all call success? Many would put Preparation, Practise and Willpower very high on the list. Malcolm Gladwell, in his hugely successful book, said it takes 10,000 hours of practise to become preeminent at anything. Virtually every coach on earth has said the will to win is worthless without the will to practise and prepare.
I would even go as far to say that the difference between success and failure lies in how much we are willing to do and how far we are willing to go to achieve our aims in practise, before the game even starts ~ We all want success, and say so frequently, but are we willing to consistently show up early and work before and after others?
Vince Lombardi, the legendary coach, would impress upon his players to always arrive fifteen minutes early for anything. To prepare, compose their thoughts, and pre plan. ~ The players called it "Lombardi time".
The exceptional wide receiver Jerry Rice was famous for his practise regimen. He finished every catch in training by running through the end zone. He showed up before others started and continued training by himself after they had left. He simply drove himself to a higher standard in practise than others were willing to. His philosophy and words sum up the mindset of a consummate professional ~ " Today I will do what others won't ~ so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can't."
And what of Larry Bird who when his high school coach recommended he practised fifty free throws every day got up early before school and went out and practiced two hundred free throws? Then during recess, and again after school he worked well into the night. Larry practised so much that others thought him to be a young man obsessed.
. "By learning you will teach; by teaching you will understand." ~ Latin proverb Question: If we really want to grow individuals, and organizations, what has been proven to be one of the most effective ways to do it? Answer: Insist that, as a condition of employment, each person on your team has an obligation and responsibility to teach others.
Why? Because what we teach is likely to be done, at least to some degree, by the teacher who teaches. Cognitive dissonance creates conflict with our conscience otherwise. Why should we insist that employees teach? Brain studies conducted by Dr. Gary Phillips at National Institute of Brain Research have determined that after one month we remember:
14% of what we hear
22% of what we see
42% of actions that we repeat
92% of what we teach others
Aside from the altruistic benefits and team morale implications of having every employee have a career obligation and responsibility to teach others - the Maslow hierarchy of needs argues strongly that you end up with a more self actualized employee. Why don't more companies do it? A short term task /results focus instead of a long term development of the individual focus mainly.
"A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still." ~ Benjamin Franklin
What are the very worst words you can ever hear as a salesperson? Well I'm sure you can come up with a few - but I put it to you that the worst words you will ever hear are "You're A Great Salesperson". Usually followed up with a "but". Being complimented on sales skills is probably one of the worst things a professional wants if he, or she, is really honest with themselves. It means - well it means that the buyer feels they were "sold". Now I recognize that all of us take a great deal of pride in convincing, persuading and closing - but if you're really good - all of that should occur inside the buyers mind without your pitching it. They should be convincing themselves that you are the best option - you shouldn't be convincing them. A very subtle difference I know - but a crucial one. So if those are the worst words in sales - What is the best word? I submit the best word is... "If". Once the prospect moves from "Why" to "If" they have moved from "Convince me" - to possibility thinking. Ultimately that is when you can start to take an order - once the person is thinking of the possibilities of you and your solutions fitting their needs. That is when it all falls into place. Once they start asking "If we..." you can truly call yourself "A Great Salesperson". Buyers Want To Buy ~ They Don't Want To Be Sold. Moving away from convincing them, with your great sales skills, to opening up possibilities where they ask "If" - is the key. Listen for if and beware of why. Don't try to convince. Question, Listen, Create and Open up possibilities in their mind so buyers start thinking ~ "If..."
Convincing stimulates and creates more "Why?".
Questions create if - Listening creates If - If stimulates Sales.
. "When it is dark enough, men see the stars." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Many years ago a young salesman I worked with was facing a bit of adversity and we had a chat. His sales were down considerably and he wasn't taking the actions he needed to turn things around. In business demand slows sometimes and we have to do better, and more, to get the sales that during good times would be just "coming in". We can't just take orders ~ we've got to really work for them. The conversation we were having turned to character and he made a statement that I will never forget. He said - "If I was in a war, I'd be different. My focus would be more intense and I would rise to the occasion." He took great offense when I disagreed and said "In times of war our character is the same as any other time. It is simply more evident to others." Adversity reveals character - but so does the way we face our daily tasks and responsibilities - Difficult conditions highlight the same character that we display each day under less trying circumstances. Most people make decisions when they have to, change when they have to, learn when they have to, or adjust behavior and habits when they have to. Very few take difficult and uncomfortable actions beforethey have to - but those that do earn enormous respect and rewards. The young salesman looked at me with disbelief and I realized that, no matter what was said, it wasn't yet dark enough for him to see the stars.
