Awesome Sauce

The Super Bowl is upon us. There are many Championships in American sports but none measure up to the pageantry of the Super Bowl. In this championship, as in other sports, there are people who find a way to win. They may not be the most talented or best-practiced, they have an inherent ability to seize the moment.

Which poses the question:
Can the heart of a champion be transplanted?

Heck yes it can!

In the moment when the game is on the line the most daunting opponent we face is ourselves. Each contest reaches a turning point where you've worn down your opponent, discovered their weakness, or realized that you want it more than they do. Then the game is yours and there is nothing they can do about it!!!

Awesome Sauce Recipe:
1 part preparation
1 part execution
2 parts perseverance

Know Your Audience
Sales people have a terribly difficult job. I know we all want to assume that the guys and girls in the fancy suits make all the money while we do all the work. So, I'll ask you this... when was the last time someone hung up the phone on you? How did that feel? There is not a more helpless feeling than having your stream of thought silenced by a dial tone. Try that anguish 100 times... in one day. Daunting to say the least.

The art of selling has changed. It is not a negotiation or a pitch... now more than ever sales people are called upon to find a solution to an unmet need. There is no convincing necessary. Your clients have taken the same training you have by simply reading the Internet. Time to figure out how to problem solve.

Information Without Implementation...
A failure I consistently see in Organizational Development is the collection of information without action planning. Many organizations issue surveys without follow through on the input received. The employees who go above and beyond the call of duty often give up because their extra effort only creates unnecessary exposure. Another write off in the Executive playbook: ask for the sake of asking so people feel like they have a slice of the pie.

Fortunately, you are in control of your own destiny. You have the ability to learn from your mistakes, search out alternative forms of thought leadership, and to find mentors in the world. Any job can be great and you can be massively successful in any position. If the tools are not given to you, create them yourself!

Get Through The Dip  
Seth Godin's book "The Dip" brings attention to an elephant we all see in the waiting room. Sales people are called upon to be fearless. Still, our efforts are often applauded without results. Godin points out that most of us give up right before the momentum swings.

Example: People are prone to respond to a voice message after 6 tries. Most sales people stop calling after leaving 4 messages. Similar to the way organizations schedule meetings about meetings, calling people for the sake of being active is a waste of effort.

Formality in business is fading. Suits are gathering dust, time in the office has given way to remote communication streams, the silos are fading, and we are now all sitting on the same side of the table. The guess work is gone. Problems need to be solved.

Things have been simplified: know what your customer needs, design something totally unique and do not give up until you've found a way to change the world.

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave