It’s all about the people you coach – the people in your company – the people you serve – your customers, prospects, clients … THEM. It’s not about you.
And, that’s not easy to remember, but it’s even more difficult to be this way. But, you can. You will.
When “what you do” becomes about you, you begin to stress, to fear, to take, to forget what’s important – how you benefit others with what you give. Benjamin Zander would say it’s all about contribution.
Jesus would say it’s all about love. Charles Manson or Hitler would say it’s all about them. What would you say?
What would happen if your sales team woke up tomorrow and arrived at work with the attitude,
“It’s all about what I contribute for the joy of others – to be the best I can be, to try to better – to give of what I have.”
What would happen if they arrived for work with that spirit? How would that change their behavior – their habits? How would this affect the salespeople, those in administration, those in service or manufacturing … if the sales team arrived with their focus on “Contribution?”
How would customers react? How would prospects react? How would this change their emails, their follow up, their presentations? How would it affect the amount of passion that others would find in their work – in their message – in their display of value?
It’s interesting when we get involved in the new social media of today. Those that pitch their products or talk a lot about themselves – tend to lose followers. Those that give away their expertise and genuinely respond to questions gain. Hmmmm.
You can manage salespeople and do it for their benefit. You can discover what’s important to them – and help them receive it. You can find out if money, recognition, duty, family, achievement, competition or something else is important. You can make work fun AND serious – you can … By changing your point of reference … You can recruit salespeople who need to earn more that the sales budget, and then manage them to reach their income levels while screaming past budget. You can inspire them by your inspiration. You can hire givers and not takers. You can.
Contribution. Yes, it really can be all about getting up today and giving your best for the benefit of others – forgetting yourself and making what you do better to enrich the lives of others. You can decide to do this. And, if you want to – you will.
So, if you are a father – it’s all about your kids, it’s all about them. If you marry – it’s all about your mate – it’s all about her or him When you sell it’s all about your prospect, or client or customer, your vendors, and your fellow employees. When you manage, it’s about the salesperson. It’s about their income, their home, their family, their broken down car, their kid’s education. It’s about about THEM. Your contribution to THEM.
Now, go out and make things better. Catch this spirit. You can, so do it. Better still, be that way.
You know, many days I think my dog Cassie did this better than I did. Oh well, I’m just fighting and striving to get better like all of you. Lance.