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Don’t fight it, write it… into the plans. The architectural plans, that is.
Hat’s off to Panera Bread (hey, I’m not the only one who likes them.) For years, people have been trying to buy tasty great food. Only to be blocked, redirected and morally challenged. Morally challenged?
Challenged by social responsibility, might be more accurate, I guess. (Deciding not to walk through landscaped barricades vs. taking the long walk around on the sidewalk.)
For further clarification (and “metaphor-cation”), instead of landscaping with small plants to direct traffic, they are cementing the path that their customers are beating to their door.
Have you ever beat your head against the wall over and over and over, again, expecting a different result? Who hasn’t? Resistance comes in many forms.
Panera has chosen to take a different path. Literally. They have enough insight and emotional intelligence to go with the flow and embrace it, vs. trying to redirect it. Or, possibly, they took Katie’s advice,
Now, “don’t fight it, write it” is a sales mantra meaning, don’t put up any walls to getting the deal done. Get out of the way. Don’t bring up distractions. Don’t be the block. Instead, get it done. Write it up. Produce, produce, produce.
I definitely have a friend who, like Christine’s article, does this (“Okay – I have this idea. Here’s the deal…”) He calls every few months with another great idea, usually a business start-up idea. The problem is it’s every few months.
He, too, has great ideas, and some of them are relatively inexpensive to get off the ground. But, the time commitment…ouch.
Christine writes, “The real issue is not about the idea. The real issue is about DOING IT. And the even realer issue is about fear. As Seth Godin so aptly states: “There isn’t a shortage of ideas. There’s a shortage of execution.””
There isn’t a shortage of ideas. There’s a shortage of execution.
I agree.
These are her writings, as well.
1. Consider HOW you share your ideas.
2. “Procrastination-by-Inquiry.”
3. Be careful WHO you share your idea with
4. …“What is the very next step I need to take?”
5. …Make a decision. Tell someone you’re going to do it. Move forward. Then wake up tomorrow and decide again.
What do I say to my friend? I first ask him, “Who’s taking which first step and when?” And, if he calls my bluff, I say, “let’s do it.”
Of all people, he should know, “nothing happens until first a sale.”
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Ideas are a dime-a-dozen. -Everyone #figureofspeech #sotospeak
Good ideas are a dime a dozen, bad ones are free. -Douglas Horton
Though Seth Godin doesn’t come out and say it, under promise and over deliver is the understanding he wants you to conclude. It’s a critical skill. For anyone.
He’s saying the underpromise part is tricky ’cause you risk not getting attention or not being believable, even worse. This is where experience and skill come in.
You have to track responses to your messages and then adjust accordingly until you can get it right. There’s just no shortcut to perfecting this other than trial and error and getting your knuckles bloody along the way.
The trap for most is the short-term gain of getting attention by pushing the limit on the over promise side. Most people I’ve seen riding this edge sell tons, but spend tons of time after the sale explaining and making excuses. Don’t be that guy. They live by the mantra, “it’s easier to beg forgiveness, then ask for permission.” Permission doesn’t fit perfectly, but it works for them.
One way that’s better is to challenge yourself to see how much fluff you can leave out and still get your foot in the door. Then, sell like hell what you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, your company can deliver.
When it’s time to deliver, make sure you do. Then, find ways to exceed their expectations so they perceive it as exceeding their expectations. The bar on this is much easier to adjust and much easier to pole vault over.
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Formula for success: under promise and over deliver. -Tom Peters #contrast
Test fast, fail fast, adjust fast. -Tom Peters #epistrophe #antistrophe #epiphora (that was #rhyme) (here’s #alliteration) #epistrophe #epiphora #antistrophe
The first step in exceeding your customer’s expectations is to know those expectations. -Roy H. Williams
In yesterday’s post, I inadvertantly layed this overgeneralized gem in your lap, “My best advice for professionals is to learn (by study, observation, and practice) how others in your field sell as the natural progression of the onboarding process.”
What a pile of gobbledegook that mess is. I sort of pride myself on giving you pieces of the puzzle that you can immediately place in the puzzle. So let’s do that now.
Study: Study means mainly reading books, listening to audio books, attending seminars, and building a circle of friends around this whole thing about influence. Be constantly casting a net for information and ideas both timeless classic onesand new cutting edge concepts, as well. Then, draw distinctions between them.
Observation: I have been fortunate enough to see first-hand a large variety of people. People employing a large variety of styles, techniques and strategies. Observing while having the filter of influence always on. In other words, I have put myself in position to see, really see, what’s going on during a persuasive moment between two or more people. Then, back up to re-trace the verbal and non-verbal play of events that made the difference.
Practice: This is the biggy. Put in practice, these verbal and non-verbal play of events that made the difference can then, and only then, be honed into a “marketable” skill. By applying what you’ve learned and observed, you can then add and subtract to find the common denominators and test, test, test to make sure they are true persuasive elements.
Persuasive elements, true persuasive elements, are effective in a large variety of contexts. For example, “persuasive elements, true persuasive elements…” is a repeater pattern that amplifies as well as clarifies and emphasizes the point I’m making. This pattern, if you will, is applicable to just about any conversation in just about any personal or professional context.
So, my point is this, notice how I have repeated words and concepts in this post in a way that amplifies the original point so that it also clarifies and emphasizes your ability to learn faster and more fully how others in your field sell so that you can learn the difference that makes the difference and apply them and adjust accordingly because, after all, you’re doing this naturally anyway now or else you wouldn’t have gotten to this point in your life, right? Right.
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He who studies books alone will learn how things ought to be, and he who studies men will know how they are. -Charles Caleb Colton #contrast
You can observe a lot by just watching. -Yogi Berra #simpletruth
There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves. -Will Rogers #paraprosdokian
Look at the means which a man employs, consider his motives, observe his pleasures. A man simply cannot conceal himself! -Confucius
The more you observe politics, the more you’ve got to admit that each party is worse than the other. Will Rogers
Everything that happens happens as it should, and if you observe carefully, you will find this to be so. -Marcus Aurelius
Observe constantly that all things take place by change, and accustom thyself to consider that the nature of the Universe loves nothing so much as to change the things which are, and to make new things like them. -Marcus Aurelius
Study serves for delight, for ornament and for ability. -Francis Bacon, Sr. #epitrophe
The object of education isn’t knowledge; it’s action. -Thomas Kempis #contrast #alloiosis
It has been my observation that most people get ahead during the time that others waste. -Henry Ford #simpletruth
Building on that, if there’s one thing that doesn’t get talked about enough, it’s persuasion skills for “non-sales people.” Before I get too into this, I just want to say that if you are responsible for creating and keeping customers and you don’t at least recognize that you can use selling skills to improve your contribution to you firm, then this article can help you get there.
Lawyers are another segment of the professional population who live and die based on their ability to bring business into their firm based on personal face-to-face connections. But, they’re not the only segment. Not by a long shot. Accounting professionals, health professionals, and all business professionals who are responsible for creating and keeping customers live and die by this.
That said, part of the challenge is they don’t talk in terms of selling, but boy is that what they’re doing, rather, someone in the firm is doing. There are varying reason for denying this, but they all center around separating what they do from how they get to the point of doing what they do.
The best way for lawyers to learn persuasion skills is from each other and a sales professional. Professionals like Drew, Dave Carpenter and myself. (there is no professional relationships neither explicitly suggested nor implied)
Why do I say this?
This comes straight from common sense and the “Learning Pyramid.” Common sense says most are already learning from their peers and superiors in the field and the firm. The Learning Pyramid is a useful visual representation and a springboard for an explanation of how we learn best.
And, a sales professional who has a keen eye and ear for what is truly the difference that makes the difference can make all the difference in the learning curve by keeping the focus relevant and critical to the task at hand.
My best advice for professionals is to learn (by study, observation, and practice) how others in your field sell as the natural progression of the onboarding process.
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I have never experienced another human being. I have experienced my impressions of them. -Robert Anton Wilson #clarify
There are some people who leave impressions not so lasting as the imprint of an oar upon the water. -Kate Chopin #analogy #simile
Understand that you need to sell you and your ideas in order to advance your career, gain more respect, and increase your success, influence and income. -Jay Abraham
The fact is, everyone is in sales. Whatever area you work in, you do have clients and you do need to sell. -Jay Abraham
If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful. -Jeff Bezos
If you are not moving closer to what you want in sales (or in life), you probably aren’t doing enough asking. -Jack Canfield
If you’re a car salesman, and someone says “This is a terrible car, I’m not buying it,” it doesn’t mean they hate you. They just don’t like your product. I think that’s a mistake a lot of people in show business make.. they’re so tied to their act they take everything personally. -Jay Leno
People get caught up in wonderful, eye-catching pitches, but they don’t do enough to close the deal. It’s no good if you don’t make the sale. Even if your foot is in the door or you bring someone into a conference room, you don’t win the deal unless you actually get them to sign on the dotted line. -Donald Trump
If you can bridge thought from skid steers to corporate work, then you can quickly bridge to however you demonstrate value.
Skid steers, BTW, allow the operator to be up front to monitor the action and have the work done from the back end power unit using the mechanics of it all. Alan Weiss has done this with his ability to take on loads of work (crappy pun intended) in the field of consulting for customers that need him “where” they need him and not “when” they don’t.
Chris Brogan on being up front means to lead with what the customer wants to know. Simplify language. That’s a big part of it.
How can you be up front for your customers, while having the work be done by the power mechanism?
An example closer to Brogan’s than Weiss’ is keeping in mind the sales funnel. The key is to get people to the next step, not filter them out, needlessly. Make it easy for them by giving them what they want when they want it. But, no sooner.
Personally, I let rhetoric and persuasive language patterns do the heavy lifting for me. That way, all I have to do is create the content. Nothing sells itself.
I even find myself persuading myself to do things using patterns like the rhetorical figure anaphora. “Get there early and get online if you have to (in order to justify sitting there waiting)” is what I caught my self saying to myself this morning as I’m waiting to head out the door for an early morning coffee meeting.
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Just because you’re upfront with someone doesn’t mean you’re an honest person; you might just be someone in the passenger seat. -Brian Celio #analogy #reframe #counterfactual
I want to state upfront, unequivocally and without doubt: I do not believe that any racial, ethnic or gender group has an advantage in sound judging. I do believe that every person has an equal opportunity to be a good and wise judge, regardless of their background or life experiences. -Sonia Sotomayor #apophasis
I have been wanting for some time to write about being trapped by our own successes, but just haven’t been inspired to do so, until now. Now that’s a message in a message about this message, BTW.
The reason for this message is that I have a friend, a dear friend, who just can’t seem to get locked into a relationship with someone. Or, maybe it’s the other way around. I don’t really know, I’m not a psychologist. But, what I do know from listening to his story time after time is that he was a victim of his own success.
Maybe you’re thinking, “Jade, usually you’re a genius, but I’m not following you on this one.” Yet. What I’m saying is, not unlike the stories or movies you know of that match this particular situation, but very personal stories. Sometimes we get trapped when our actions get rewarded because it tricks us into thinking what we did will work every time.
So my friend, John, right? Everyone uses “John.” Not sure why. John is a generic name for guy, I guess. And, this isn’t one of those stories where I’m telling a “my friend John” story and it’s actually me. It’s not.
My friend John has told me several times about meeting a girl (quite a few years ago, now) and hitting it off right away. He captured her attention with his passionate story about his…work. Yes, his work. He was so excited about what he was doing at the time that he could tell she was lit up by his passion and it drew her in.
The problem is they are NOT together any longer (wasn’t that long to begin with,) and ever since, he thinks his passionate talk about the work he was doing at the time is still what draws women in. Now, keep in mind, he’s not in that line of work anymore, either. See the problem? If not, look closer.
He hasn’t recognized that what he’s doing isn’t working, but since it worked once… once, he made it a permanent part of his whole strategy. How many of us are doing similar things in our relationships? Work relationships? Customer relationships? I don’t mean the personal relationship part, but the insanity part.
Notice what’s working and not working and adjust. Do something different! Anything else has a better chance of succeeding.
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The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. -Multi-attributed to Benjamin Franklin, Mark Twain, Albert Einstein, and Mae Brown in 1983!
“C.J. on your tombstore, its going to read, Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc.” … “…It means,” the President lectures, “one thing follows the other therefore it was caused by the other. But it’s not always true in fact it’s hardly ever true.” - TV ShowThe West Wing
Bob Burg has a series of posts going which revolve around questions of the “goodness” or “badness” of paying commissions. My post is going to center around the “effective/not effective” meaning of the questions vs. the moral/ethical aspect.
Bob made the point, “If you are in business, you are in commission sales.” I totally agree. Not just because I totally grew up in the ’80s,(like totally!) but because the inverse is true, as well. If you are in commission sales, you are in business, for yourself.
Both sides of an #antimetabole are not always true e.g. You can take the girl out of the ghetto, but you can’t take the ghetto out of the girl. Not true on many levels. But when the inverse is true, e.g. Those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind don’t matter. Then there’s probably something to it. #petitioprincipii
And the the higher your income is dependent on the commissions (as a percentage of your compensation package,) the more this is true. For those of you not in sales, full commission is obvious, but many sales people’s compensation package range from 100% salary to 20% to small spiffs and everything in between.
Dan Pink, in his book Drive, explains this further and, in my opinion, is misunderstood by most. Dan makes the point that external rewards often work against an individuals motivation. A research study was done years ago that showed rewarding highly creative work can diminish desire to do the activity.
But, even though commissions are external rewards, some salespeople don’t view them as such. High commission six-figure sales people feel in control of this reward system which makes it feel intrinsic for them. This is similar to how business people are highly creative, autonomous, and purpose-driven and at the same time can be money motivated.
Bringing this back to the question of “commission sales. Is it good? Is it bad?’” Bob hit the nail on the head. It’s the salesperson that makes it good or bad.
I hope this sounds like a circular argument to you… ’cause it is! ( #petitioprincipii )
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Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesman – not the attitude of the prospect. -W. Clement Stone
Or can you? Or do you have to be? If not you, who?
Everyone thinks they are top dog in their pack. The den leader if you will. Especially “alpha-males.”
Normally, they are striving to be the best. Learning everything they can from whom ever they’ve chosen as their mentor. Usually it’s only someone above them in the chain of command or an outside unbiased non-partisan influence like a vendor representative.
The Achilles heal of this is not recognizing (awareness and/or awarding) effective performance and inquiring about it when helpful, regardless of it’s source. Most people are reverse engineering what their coworkers are doing to a certain extent, but not often fully and not publicly.
Another challenge is that if you operate under this belief, it includes you, like an umbrella, unless you’re the exception.
So, what does it say about your beliefs about yourself when you don’t believe someone in your environment can break out of it and create a successful niche for themselves. In other words, if you don’t think someone of your social-economic stature can break out of it, financially, expertise-wise, socially, economically, success-wise, notariety-wise, or any-other-wise, then this very belief that you use to hold others down is likely holding you down, as well.
Having nonfinished several efforts in several MLMs, I have learned a few things along the way about how they persuade, regardless.
One of the benefits of being involved in MLMs (outside of the upside of the benefits of being successful at it) is learning about edification. To edify in that realm means to put each other upon a pedestal by bragging up each others’ personal strengths or performance. This often makes for a powerful “argumentum a fortiori” frame of “if Banjo Ben can do this in light of the same challenges as you, then so too can you.”
MLMs have examples of every conceivable pre-existing condition becoming a strong suit. Which makes for a powerful “The Ledge” pattern/tautology, meaning whatsoever your challenge, overcoming this challenge is exactly what will make you successful and therefore the very reason you should.
If you don’t have anyone around you to source, then resource yourself via repurposing successful past transferable performances regardless of the specific environment they originated.
2 Reasons. Because there’s what, some six billion people on the planet! That’s one why.
This following story has to do with the other why.
Six blind monks are walking when they come to an elephant that blocks their path. “What is this?” asks one of the monks. Another, addressing the group suggests that they reach out to touch the object in front of them and describe what they find. The first man grasps a tusk of the elephant. He confidently proclaims that the object in front of them is a spear. “Ridiculous” says the second man (who has a taken a hold of the elephant’s trunk) “this is clearly a snake”. “I don’t think so” said the third man, who, having touched the ears of the elephant suggests that it is in fact a large fan. “Nonsense” exclaims the fourth man. “This sturdy column can only be a tree” – for he has his hands around a leg of the elephant. The fifth man, lightly chuckling to himself as he runs his hands across the flank of the pachyderm pauses for a moment to interject that “this is clearly a wall”. Last, but not least the sixth man tells the group that he has found a rope, as he has a grip of the elephant’s tail… Due to the confusion, the monks cannot agree about what obstructs their path and as a consequence are unable to figure a strategy for continuing their journey. Of course each man, to a degree is “right”, but equally they are all wrong too.
This story came from two sources, 1. Mark Batey, Ph.D. of Psychology Today 2. Thailand It’s obvious where it originated, but who cares. I just want to use it. (as a side note, it’s interesting to me that saying a country will usually establish more orgination credibility than will a name) (pun intended #paralipsis)
The moral I’m attaching to the story is that by the time everyone has tried to figure out what it is or what’s going on, they could have either killed it, captured it, or avoided it, all together. (again, #paralipsis) Instead, they’re standing there with their committee hats on, you know, standing there with their sticks in their hands trying to reach agreement.
It’s much easier to if you notice there is a spear, then make sure you avoid it. If there is a snake, kill it. If there is a fan, capture it’s breeze. If there is a leg, flank, or rope, utilize it advantageously, as well.
Green, red, pink or blue? Seriously? Cat, dog, horse, rat? C’mon, you’re killing me here with your type-talk.
In business and personal relationships, don’t try to read too much into it. To go back to the wildlife metaphor, if it walks, talks and flys like a duck, it’s a duck.
Another metaphor that comes to mind is “When in Rome…”
Trying to interpret behavior is like predicting the weather. Instead, just notice what’s in front of you in the context you ‘re in. Then fine tune it (your sensory acuity, that is.) And then, use it.
OK. Fine. More specifics? If their arms are crossed, maybe it’s not resistance, but a chill in the air. If they sit back, sit back with them. If they say “boo-ya,” don’t say “boo-ee.” If they ask to see something, show them something.
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That’s always the case. Except when it’s not. -Jade Handy #sbns#autophasia
If you’re always seeing sheep, what happens when it’s actually a wolf? -Jade Handy #reformcliche#snowclone
That reminds me that I hate personality types for the reason that no one is a perfect anything and no one is a true introvert or extrovert. The “types” always come off as caned at first glance. -Dettagli aggiuntivi#anamnesis
True. Personality types and horoscopes are spelled differently. -Jade Handy #sbns#but
I’m not a professional writer, but I do read for a living (meaning to make a life.) And if I know anything, it’s that the only rule of writing, or any other form of communication for that matter, is know your audience, and adjust accordingly.
Won ruhle that isn’t is cliche. I’d like to successfully brake evry other rule of writing out their, soooo long as it doesn’t break mine. It’s not all about me, though. It’s about you.
Don’t get me wrong, there are rules. If fact, you can’t even talk about rules without applying another.
The meaning of the communication is the response you get. Pure and simple. Even if you don’t think it’s true, operate as if you do. Having this belief orients your brain to taking responsibility for yourself and your writing more and more with each passing day. It’s fun.
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Writing rules. By that I mean writing is fun. That’s the only rule of writing. -Jade Handy #distinctio#ambiguity
If you say “yes” to everything, everything will drive you crazy. Now, just for clarification, when I say everything, I really mean just all requests of your time and other resources.
This concept isn’t just for business. With children, for example, requests for more Chex Mix get this response from me. “If you eat all your crackers and if you want more, I’ll get you some more if you remember to ask.” It also sounds like a Quid Pro Quo or a I-get-what-I-want-then-you -get-what-you-want. But, that’s not what I’m going for here with this. Manipulative, you say?
What’s more manipulative? Saying you’ll do something, then in your head qualifying it with ”how about never” or “only if you hold a gun to my head” or knowing you’ll forget or get too busy with other things. ’Cause that’s what most people are doing, I’ve noticed.
OR manipulating out in the open? Maybe they don’t catch it and call you out on it. Maybe they do. Maybe, if they do, you restate it with stronger emphasis or stronger tonality. Or, maybe both. The totality of the two will nip the request in the bud faster. Who knows? Test different tactics and see if they will work.
More times than not, though, you’ll find the best way to hide things is to simply hide it out in the open.
Other examples. Make it contingent upon something else happening like, “if we actually go to the conference” ”if I don’t get too busy” “if I still need to at that point” “if you haven’t figured it out by then (Great challenge, by the way. People love them, if they are subtle enough)” “if they call back.” You get the picture.
So, how does this tie back to business. Actually, all of it. Except the part about requesting Chex Mix. Your boss may not appreciate your “sense of humor.”
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A genius knows how to make himself easily understood without being obvious about it. -Jean Anouilh
Recently, my social media coach, Mike, requested (not really, but stated the “can we postpone” firmly by properly framing it, I might add) to reschedule an early morning meeting in light of a more urgent matter. Understandable, as we all have these moments.
I replied with, “No problem. Saturday?” Why? Because “Whatever, Mike” sounded rude when I drafted it. “Sure” sounded lightly salted. I went with “No problem. Saturday?” because I wanted to capitalize on his guilt, immediately, and lock in the next appointment. He’s a very busy man, you see.
He replies to my reply with “Works. U name the time n place (u know my pref:)” Again, illusion of choice, but I close with, “Let’s go with that then.”
Why “Let’s go with that then.”? I love the ambiguity of “that” and “then.” “That” meaning I name the time place, or, his preferential time and place. “Then” meaning “in that case” and also meaning “our usual of 8:30 at Panera U.”
Not to mention the unanswered question he might have, as well, of, “I wonder if we are thinking the same thing?” That’s the funny part. The fact that I think this far into these things should worry me (not you.)
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A guilty conscience needs to confess. A work of art is a confession. -Albert Camus <persuasion is a work of art and certainly a rescheduled appointment will yield a confession, as well.
Every choice you make has an end result. -Zig Ziglar
Every man builds his world in his own image. He has the power to choose, but no power to escape the necessity of choice. -Ayn Rand
Art has a double face, of expression and illusion, just like science has a double face: the reality of error and the phantom of truth. -Publilius Syrus#antapodosis#simile#repeater
Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice. -Wayne Dyer
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Of course, there are techniques for reducing them, but when someone cancels or reschedules an appointment with you, thank them. The likelihood of them rescheduling is strong due to their guilt (real or imagined.) The same goes for being stood up for an appointment. Unless they are too rife with guilt or disinterest in the first place, they’ll likely give you special attention. Not only that, but no matter what kind of salesperson you are, you’ll have a better attitude getting on with the rest of your day.
Stolen from Holland, Sales Posse posted a great tool to use in order to reverse engineer.
Ask yourself, “What would (blank) do?”
Sounds a lot like “What Would Jesus Do?” WWJD. I wonder if they know we Americans relate that phrase to Him?
Spend five minutes writing down a few words about the behavior, attitude, and actions of someone you want to emulate and those characteristics will carry over to you.
Google “strapping on the drool cup” and you’ll find a phrase so relevant and broad scoping it will amaze you that you haven’t heard or used it. If you have, kudos to you.
I found this quote from – who’d a thunk it - a black belt. But not the karate kind. The quality improvement kind. You know, Six Sigma and the like. Steven C Wilson is a friendly contact I met through Hawkeye Chapter ASTD.
Strapping on the drool cup is a term apparently used by those “In the fighter pilot world (at least in the USMC fighter pilot world) we called that “STRAPPING ON THE DROOL CUP.” Kind of like becoming so enamored with what is going on INSIDE the COCKPIT (there are lots of bells and whistles in the cockpit) that you forget to see Mt McKinley in front of you who wants to ruin your whole day. A “Forest for the Trees” sort of thing.
We all assume focus is good. It is. When appropriate. We just need to be good enough and smart enough to determine when to UNHOOK THE DROOL CUP and just look out the window and when it is necessary to BE THE BALL, DANNY.”
Steven C. Wilson added a new dimension to this. Another symptom of this condition is not being able to think outside the box, or as Taco Bell says, outside the bun. So conditioned to do things the way we have for so many years, we are often unable to be creative, innovative…we become “stuck on the escalator”.
I like to think of it as being in the moment when strapping on the drool cup is good and like a deer in the headlights when it’s bad. Seeing others in this mode is kind of like rubbernecking at a traffic accident. You just can’t help but look.
I’ll be referring people to this post when they ask me how I use the Archimedes Principle and metaphor in business.
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I’ll keep on acting ’til they wipe the drool. I like the business. I like to do different parts and diverse characters. I haven’t lost my enthusiasm yet! -Robert Duvall
I’m not going to sit on the porch of the old anchorman’s home with a drool cup. -Tom Brokaw#negation
If you were to open up a baby’s head – and I am not for a moment suggesting that you should – you would find nothing but an enormous drool gland. -Dave Barry#synecdoche
When I first heard this I found myself with my head cocked to the side with glazed eyes. What the heck does that even mean!? What happened to finishing what you started? Towing the line? Going the distance? Hammering it out? Getting it in the goal?
But, then I thought about it. This makes a lot of damn sense. When you think about it, it’s no different than realizing you have eaten too much and putting the fork down. It’s no different than realizing your foot is in your mouth and removing it as gracefully as possible. Who can say it’s not a good idea to stop smoking before it’s too late? Who can say it’s not a good idea to put the bottle down well before you drive? Who can say it’s not a good idea to stop and smell the roses?
Some people need the police to tell them to stop … set the gun down and step away from the victim.
It’s not like you have to do this all the time with everything. This skill requires discretion and good decision-making.
I have found this unfinishing thing so useful. It’s a close second to starting things and finishing things. For example, when I’m struggling to write a draft for a blog post, I often have to just stop … and move on to something else. Often times the draft just sits out there in the blogoshpere. Sometimes, not often, the missing piece comes to me during an unexpected event. Then, I open up the draft and am able to blast through it in no time at all.
To be more specific to a situation you may find yourself in, if you’re working on a prospect or a boss that isn’t budging or is going no where or is just simply not worth it, stop where you are in the process and walk away. That’s right, just walk away when it’s just not worth it.
I like this short story I found on Yahoo Answers contributed by Zeera. ”Reminds me of the fishing trips I used to go on with dad. Sometimes the line would snag on some timber deep in the water, and bringing out his pocketknife he’d say, “cut the line”.”
Consequently, unfinishing is also helpful when you find yourself digging yourself a hole. Tell yourself to stop … set the shovel down and step away from the hole!
Give a man a rope and he’ll hang himself. -American Proverb
Cut your losses and let your profits run. -American Proverb
If what you’re doing isn’t working, anything else has a better chance. -#simpletruth
Know when to walk away. Know when to run. -Kenny Rogers #anaphora
Just because you made your bed doesn’t mean you have to sleep in it. -Jade Handy #reformingcliche
Happiness is never stopping to think if you are. -Palmer Sondreal
Of any stopping place in life, it is good to ask whether it will be a good place from which to go on as well as a good place to remain. -Mary Catherine Bateson
Everybody’s worried about stopping terrorism. Well, there’s a really easy way: stop participating in it. -Noam Chomsky
I’m not stopping. My dream has come true, and I’m staying. -Rita Coolidge
You take the cards you’re dealt. I’m now ferociously healthy in body and mind. You couldn’t pay me to go near a psychiatrist again. Stopping seeing them was my first step to getting well. -Margot Kidder
Acting is the expression of a neurotic impulse. It’s a bum’s life. Quitting acting, that’s the sign of maturity. -Marlon Brando
Drugs were pretty easy to quit taking. I was never addicted to anything to begin with. But then, liquor – I had to wait about another six years before I finally got around to quitting that. I’m sure glad I did. -Alex Chilton
I’m more proud of quitting smoking than of anything else I’ve done in my life, including winning an Oscar. -Christine Lahti
I’m quitting the business today. I’m going to open up an appliance store, I’ve always really been into toasters. I’m giving it all up. -Dane Cook
If I can just see the European war out I think I might feel justified in quitting the war. -Ernie Pyle
One day I promised God that if he would give me my voice back I would never smoke again. I got three octaves back after quitting. -Mariah Carey
OK, so I have a problem quitting searching for relevant quotes. How ironic. But, let’s move on anyway.
Risk means everything from being honest about your faith, to moving, to quitting a job that’s paying you a fortune but it’s not what’s in your heart. Risking things is one of the biggest fears we have. -John Tesh
Listen, through the years, I have lost or left many jobs for many reasons. None of which I need to repeat. Been there done that.
I wouldn’t go back to spraying down hog houses. Shitty job. My ears got plugged up with hog manure, true story. Taught me to keep my ears open for opportunities.
I wouldn’t even go back to a job I loved at the time. Managing a bar. The work was fun, the people were fun, but the cleanup work…uugh.
Putting that aside.
One morning at a recent Central Iowa Bloggers event, I talked to Sylvia. When she was looking for work, she went to work figuring out what she wanted to do next. She made a list of what she liked about what she had done in the past and a list of dislikes. Guess what she did next?
On the other side of the room, I talked to another gal. Kelly, told me about how she has received word that she might get a pink slip at the job that she loves. Lucky for her, she didn’t wait around for the slight chance she wouldn’t get the slip. So, she started the job search early. This week she received that pink slip. Rough day.
However, the story ends on a high note, as usual. Later the very same day, she received word that she got another job. Yay! Higher paying, even! On top of that, she’ll be able to broaden her sphere of influence and widen her repoitiore of capabilities. Aaannndddd, because of what she went through, she stretched herself to do some things she wouldn’t otherwise have done. She now has a more clear vision of what she is passionate about doing.
Back to Sylvia. Syliva continues to be passionate about doing the things on her “likes list.” Years into it, she continues drive herself to thrive.
And as for me, if I hadn’t had all of the different jobs I have had, I wouldn’t have the core set of skills I now use to create amazing changes for people and help them use new exciting skills they didn’t know they had.
More times than not there is a silver lining. Clear skies after turbulence. One door closes, another door opens. Light at the end of the tunnel. April showers bring May flowers.
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Autobiographies are full of examples of people losing their jobs, getting fired, quitting, being layed off, on and on. BTW – Unsuccessful people don’t write autobiographies! -Jade Handy #sbns
He does a marvelous job of putting salespeople on a classic XY graph with innate talent on the vertical X axis and process driven on the horizontal Y axis. This helps create 4 categories of salespeople. Journeymen, Mavericks, Superstars, and Trouble.
I like this line of organization. One of the only things I struggle with is the contrast of innate talent vs process driven. I’d much rather see innate vs. learned and/or process vs. persuasion. Why? It makes more sense as far as a spectrum. Opposite ends of the same stick, if you will.
In my nearly 20 plus years in the field of persuasion, I have noticed more occurances of these types contrast. I wouldn’t even say the 4 categories have to change, either.
I have found that superstars are a more balanced combination of persuasion and process and a more balanced combination of innate talent and learned skill. Without these balances, no salesperson is going to make a lifetime career of it. Granted, it’s all relative to the work environment, but in general this is true.
How does this assessment assist you past Mark’s blog? First, it gives you a more accurate and useful spectrum from which to assess new hires. Second, it basically just re-labels what he’s calling “innate talent,” yet provides more clarity.
How am I qualified to build on Mark’s assessment? Maybe you’re thinking, “you can’t do that.” As someone who promises to sort out the top talent on a team within the first few questions or role plays in my training programs with no prior player knowledge, I can tell you persuasive talent is far easier to assess in a potential hire or current employees than the more ambiguous term “innate talent.” Also, persuasion is the end result, or at least the most important means to the end.
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“You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.” -Zig Ziglar#palilogia
Always be closing…That doesn’t mean you’re always closing the deal, but it does mean that you need to be always closing on the next step in the process. -Shane Gibson#palilogia
BTW – I taught that to my older daughter when she was just 3 yrs old. Shocked? I know, I know, her teacher is going to love me. I realize this. Actually, she will probably want to have a closed door session with me. Wahoo!! (side note: my wife is a teacher.)
Much to her dismay and disapproval, I’m a firm believer that children should learn at a young age to value these types of things. Putting someone on notice not to impose limiting beliefs on them is more important than “showing respect” in certain situations. Like it or not, you have to train people how to treat you.#sbns
Lucky for her she’s so darn cute that that will take the edge off. This will come in quite Handy later in life.
This isn’t as much a post on parenting as it is on overcoming limiting beliefs and/or blocking them at the door. Especially the ones that limit your adventures (both real and imagined) and your outward expressions of them.
Notice how I took credit for the quote “You can’t do that” in my title. While I probably didn’t really coin that phrase, what I’m really doing is building a frame for a feeling that you have just as much right to write things and attribute your thoughts to yourself as anyone else. Scott Berkun alluded to this in this great article. He said “anyone can write a book.”
You should be blazing trails, not sniffing tails. The world is full of talented people too scared to step on toes or offend someone in place of going after their dream (#ambiguity of “theirs” meaning others’ or yours is intended.)
#MikeSansone enlightened me with a quote, “Conviction is more important than content.” Meaning nothing in this world is truly original, but those that express thoughts with conviction will get “credit” for them. This goes for many vocations, including public speaking, writing, reporting, marketing, blogging, and tweeting, of course.
FYI – I taught my younger daughter to reply, “I can do it with your help.” Hopefully, they’ll learn discretion from each other’s usage.
You never know who’s going to take an interest in what you’re putting out there. Take this post, for example. Just because the owner put a valuable tool out there, I took it and put it in my post.
There are very few, if any, interests that have an audience of one. Meaning, if you have an interest, there are probably hundreds, thousands, possibly millions of people just like you, like me, like others that have the same interest.
This all sounds random, but really, it’s not. It’s all about motivation. Motivation to put your “stuff” out there for the world to see. See, if you want the world to experience you, you need to give them the opportunity to. (if this paragraph sounds catchy, it’s because I want it to be sticky)
Don’t fight it, write it… into the plans. The architectural plans, that is.
