Sales Leadership doesn’t always go the way you want it to. Things happen in our lives and with our team that we wish would simply go away. Life…and leadership was never meant to be easy. It’s meant to be challenging.
Why?
So that you can grow as a human being. So that you develop the skills to overcome the challenge that’s facing you. So that you’re ready for the next challenge with a bit more confidence than the last one.
Challenges are a gift to be embraced. For you as a Sales Leader and for every sales person in your team!
My 4 Step Challenge Process
Acknowledge that you have a challenge
Owning the fact that you have a situation that you’re not totally sure how to resolve is the first step. Avoid denial and any ego thoughts that you can deal with this on your own…or that it might go away on its own. Take ownership.
Separate fact from fiction
When we are faced with a challenge it’s easy to make up a story about it…or to go into The Valley. Take the time to make a list of all the things you know to be true based on tangible evidence. Then a list of assumptions based on experience. Then a list of the BS…stories and Valley talk you have in your head. This gives you a greater sense of the reality you’re dealing with.
What are the things you can do right now?
Identifying the action you can take straight away gives you a greater sense of control and that’s very useful in keeping you grounded during challenging times. Sometimes the action is small but sometimes you have surprisingly more power than you initially believed. All action, big or small, creates momentum towards growth and resolution.
Who do you need help from?
It’s not always possible to resolve challenging situations on your own because you don’t know what you don’t know. Finding people that have had the same or similar challenges is a great way to learn new ideas and strategies that you can apply to shortcut your learning and growth. These learning hacks are a vital ingredient for your own development as a person and as a sales leader.
As with all things…keep moving towards what you want and you will get there. Not despite your challenges BUT because of them!
Until next time,
