Author: Colleen McKenna / Source: Business 2 Community Imagine it’s 7:30 a.m. and more than fifteen CEOs, business owners and presidents a
Imagine it’s 7:30 a.m. and more than fifteen CEOs, business owners and presidents are logging into LinkedIn for an interactive workshop. The day before, more than twenty-five executives showed up for the same workshop during a torrential downpour and tornado warning.
Now, imagine the sales manager walks into the conference room and says, “I am too busy to attend this workshop, sorry.”
We all know someone like this person. They are always too busy, they are mired in “stuff.” Their world is on fire, and only they can solve it. I hope this is not you or your sales leader. If it’s you, reconsider your mindset. If you are the CEO or business owner and this is your guy, you need to coach them or move them out, because they cost you revenue, opportunity, talent, and relevance. They set a backward mindset in your organization.
Some might say that I didn’t do a good enough job of establishing my value as a trainer. Fair enough, but I didn’t even have a chance to let him know why it was important for him to attend. I think it has more to do with his attitude and mindset. I notice when people don’t take the chance to learn it’s because they are closed-minded. They have a bias steeped in an unwillingness to consider that there can be a better way, and a fear of the unknown. Oh, and they think they have all the answers.
I see it all the time. The people that show up for training, coaching and mentoring want to get better. They commit the time, energy and brain power to dig in and learn, even when they don’t want to or it’s outside of their comfort zone.
I worked with a sales consultant years ago that reminded me that you don’t get the juice (the good stuff, i.e. a new client) without squeezing the fruit (the process of prospecting, engaging and adding real, substantial value). There has to be a willingness to learn how to sell in today’s world, set up a process, put it in motion, test it and follow through with modifications. This is true regardless of your industry, brand or maturity. Why? Because, as today’s buyers become younger and younger (I am not talking just those in their 20’s, I am referring to anyone under…
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