Larry the Cable Guy’s by-line is Get’r Done! I hope you have a way that works pretty well to get things done. Today we will investigate a process I recently used with a client firm’s sales department in an effort to improve short and long-term results.
But first an observation from Dr. David Schwartz. In his book, The Magic of Thinking Big, which I highly recommend, he tells the story of an organization’s sales team of 25 sales people who had one exceptional high performer. This man consistently produced more than five times the sales volume of anyone else on the force. The company hired Dr. Schwartz to come in and consult with the company to find our what this salesman was doing, so that they might attempt to emulate his results with more team members.
After an in-depth look at the high producer’s sales strategy, he came up with what was happening. First of all, the top performer had noble goals with big numbers – he simply expected to sell more! He had better, high-level habits and had perfected the sales and relationship building skills required for extraordinary results. His boss had him speak at their sales meeting to share his success plan. Some increased their sales somewhat from exposure to his ideas, but no one came close to the high performer! He had mastered his success strategy and perfected multiple habits that supported it!
From my experience, I’ve found that there are four key elements, that when put in proper order, with appropriate emphasis from management, can make a huge difference in personal performance. Here are the four elements:
Expectations
Beliefs
Behaviors
Let’s consider them one at a time…
Expectations, when high, can change everything! There is a book entitled Dream Big Dreams! There is another expounding on the value of having “BHAGs”, an acronym for Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals! You get the idea. Many people stifle their own performance by not expecting enough! It’s time for anyone who wants to achieve more to expect more, and follow through with a plan that gets results. One of the greatest things a manager can do for a team member is to encourage them to reach farther, learn new skills, take bold actions, and enjoy better results than ever.
Beliefs make a world of difference. One of the reasons good leaders encourage their team members to learn more, and fully understand how a solid success plan works, is that it can alter their belief system. As a sales person, for example, improves their competence level, confidence improves, and resulting behaviors are improved. They believe! All of this is part of the grand plan of establishing one’s habit structure.
Behaviors are what one does. A simple definition of human behavior is what we see and hear a person say and do. Our behavior, over time, establishes our habits, and this is where the rubber meets the road. Day after day we perform habit after habit. The better one’s habit structure is the better their performance will be. Habits are very strange commanders, but they most certainly direct our behavior and, ultimately, the results we gain.
Results gained tend to determine everything, from current sales performance, to one’s track record over time, and ultimately such things as income, promotions and career progress.
To wrap this newsletter up, let me give you a formula I recently put together for the participants in my Write Your Book! Program. I recognized shortly after creating it that it applied to just about everyone who wanted to gain greater results. Here it is:
The breakdown is simple. The first three elements within the parentheses are for Vision, Skills, and Discipline; multiply them as a group by the Passion you have for your project, and that will equal the results, or outcome, you get. All of these are factors largely determined by our motivation to succeed. My advice: Reach out and grab the rest of your destiny with higher expectations, and enjoy a life of achievement, exceptional performance and happiness!
