This weekend I had 2 conversations about trust…who knew there was so much wisdom in 2 wheel activities. Let me explain…
I love off-road mountain biking and have recently taken it back up after a 14 year break. Prior to my break, I cycled off-road as a sport for over 10 years…then motorbiking took my passion and the mountain biking drifted away.
During lockdown, I decided to get back on my mountain bike and back into the forest to keep myself fit whilst the gyms were closed. After the first ride, my passion was back…I loved being back on the bike and I felt as confident as I had been 14 years ago.
After a couple of weeks, I started to realise that I felt even better about riding than I did all those years ago. My friend who I go biking with tells me I’m faster and better able to navigate the tricky challenges that face all off-road bikers…roots, hills, crevices, holes and more.
Why is that?
In the last 5 years I’ve been doing an embodiment practice to increase my body sensitivity which has greatly increased the trust I have in my body. I notice feelings and reactions more easily. I notice the signals my body sends me as little messages to help me evaluate what’s going on behind the words and behaviours and this has positively impacted my decision making.
When I was biking before, it was all about performance and my head was fully in charge. If a challenge looked tricky my head would take over to evaluate the chances of success and I would hesitate…then I’d either stop or fall off!
Now I trust my body to do exactly what it knows how to do…and to stop me if it feels like this challenge is beyond my limits right now.
Instead of the performance anxiety I had back then that caused negative hormones like cortisol to flood my body…I now feel exhilaration which releases great stuff like endorphins, serotonin, oxytocin and dopamine.
With this greater trust in myself, I’m able to show up as my best self every time I go for a ride.
How does this relate to you?
In two ways…
Your starting position…are you full of stress hormones that limit your ability to show up as your best self?
Your inner trust…how much trust do you have in yourself to do the leadership activities that create the biggest positive impact on your team and their results?
This is something worth exploring and addressing because without this trust you will always be on the back foot, filled with cortisol and ruled by negative emotions. You can’t feel positive with a body full of cortisol ☹
What can you do?
It’s different for everyone but these questions will help you work out your first steps.
What do you believe about yourself as a sales leader?
How much trust do you have in yourself?
What would give you more belief and trust in yourself?
You may be able to navigate yourself through this exploration or you may need the support of a coach or therapist. Leaving it unaddressed is not a wise option.
The sooner you focus on this, the sooner you can increase your growth pace towards leading your team in a more focused and successful way.
What was the second conversation about trust?
No I haven’t forgotten 😉
I went out with a friend for a day in the Cotswolds on the back of his motorbike. I’ve ridden with this guy for years, but this was my first time out with him this year. Whenever I get on the back of his bike, I’m so relaxed that I can take in the view, ponder on stuff and be the best pillion passenger possible to keep us both safe.
If you don’t know…as a motorbike passenger, you have to connect with the rider and the bike. If the bike and rider lean over to get round a bend, as a passenger you have to do the same. You can’t do this by thinking…you can only do this by feeling. If you are tense, it’s very difficult to lean over because it can be a little scary, which could be dangerous for both of you.
When you are relaxed you don’t even realise you’re leaning because you are simply moving with the bike. You know you are a good pillion passenger when the rider tells you they don’t even notice you on the back…you’ve both become one with the bike!
It also helps that I totally trust my rider to ride in a way that keeps us both safe 😉
This was the second trust conversation…if I didn’t trust my friend it would make it really difficult to relax and be at one with him and the bike.
How does this relate to your leadership?
If your sales team don’t trust you to keep them safe, have their best interests as a priority and help them develop and grow…how can they be relaxed enough to show up as their best selves?
What hormones does your leadership create in your team?
Again…a cortisol filled body is not going to create consistently great sales.
What behaviours do you exhibit that either grow trust…or erode it?
Take your time to ponder this and I’ll come back to it soon.
The bottom line…you have to trust yourself and your team have to trust you if you want to create first-class sales success.
Until next time,
Leigh 😊
PS If you’d like help to create more belief and trust in your sales team please do get in touch for an informal chat.
Thanks for the great photo Paul Ashton 😊
