Is it being done TO you or being done FOR you?
In sales it’s easy to blame external issues for not achieving targets and in my experience, this happens quite a lot in our game. I call it being in the Valley of reasons and excuses.
The issue is that when sales leaders or sales people are in the Valley they relinquish responsibility for where they are and give their power to whatever they are blaming…making themselves the victim.
It’s a really sad place to be and yet comforting at the same time because it means it’s not your fault.
It’s reactive rather than proactive…sales people tend to become order takers when they are in this place ☹
An alternative perspective…
The Christian Mystic St John of the Cross wrote…
Once I said to God
How do you teach us?
And he replied…
If you were playing chess with someone that had infinite power and infinite knowledge and wanted to make you a master of the game, where would all the chess pieces be at every moment?
Indeed not only where he wanted them, but where all were best for your development, and that is every situation of one’s life.
Whatever your religious beliefs, the premise is still true.
Over to you…
Think of a situation in your sales team right now…is the situation being done TO you or being done FOR you?
I believe when challenges show up it’s a sign that we are ready for the next phase of growth.
What area of sales leadership growth is calling you now?
What have you either not done before or maybe avoided doing previously that now needs to become part of your sales leadership tool kit?
Standing in this position with this perspective changes the chemicals you release in your body from fear based Cortisol and Adrenaline when in victim mode to the happy chemicals like Oxytocin and Serotonin.
As a result…
You are in growth mode rather than a victim
You are curious rather than closed
You are taking responsibility rather than blaming
You are in your power and growing as a Sales Leader
How about your team?
This doesn’t only apply to you…it applies to every single person in your team. Where are they being a victim? Where are they taking full responsibility?
If they are all in victim mode…this means you may well have created the culture yourself by displaying your behaviours of victim and blame.
If you have, I’m happy to tell you it’s not terminal and easily changed but it has to start with you.
You have to shift your perspective.
You have to take responsibility for where you are as a team.
The easiest way to do this is to ask…
What am I going to do about this?
Then do it.
It’s a great question to ask your sales people when they start blaming X,Y or Z. In that way you can stop them being a victim and get their ideas of how to deal with the situation.
They may not be able to answer the question initially…especially if victim/blame mindset has become the established culture but if you keep asking the question, over time they will start to come up with the answers.
Initially please don’t jump in to give them the answer. You are developing their unused muscles to think for themselves. Simply stay quiet and give them the space to come up with something. Or ask them to get back to you the next day with their ideas.
Even when their idea isn’t as good as yours, let them carry it out because they will be so much more inspired and motivated to make it work and in so doing learn so much more along the way.
It’s only you that thinks your idea is better anyway.
Remember…it’s all about perspective!
Until next time,
Leigh 😊
PS If you need help developing a Sales Growth Mindset Culture in your team please do get in touch.
Thanks Lerkrat Tangsri for the great image
