Jefferson on Knowing It All

 

“He who knows most, knows
how little he knows.

– Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)
3rd president of the United States

You don’t know everything.

You do know that, don’t you?

Continual learning is a basic necessity to professional improvement and in many cases it’s other people who will help you get there.

But only if you’re coachable. Are you?

To be coachable means to be…

  • Approachable
  • Attentive
  • Receptive
  • Curious
  • Objective
  • Trusting
  • Shapeable
  • Confident

It means you listen with the intent to learn rather than to show what you know – exactly the type of listening required in the sales process.

Huxley on Truth vs. Wishes

 

Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.”

– Aldous Huxley (1894–1963)

English writer

annoy: (uh-’noi) verb: to disturb or irritate especially by repeated acts

The last thing we want to do is annoy them (our prospects & customers).

It’s never our intent. But our intent doesn’t matter.

What we do matters.

Here are the sales facts…

They don’t like it when…

  • we’re pushy
  • we call too much
  • we’re “just checking in”
  • we’re unprepared
  • we’re disrespectful of their time
  • we keep calling if they say they’re not interested

Kierkegaard on Guts

 

“The thing that cowardice fears most is decision.”

– Soren Kierkegaard (1813–1855)

Danish philosopher and writer

Sometimes, if we don’t have success after repeated attempts to do something, we can lose confidence and eventually give up trying. It’s called “learned helplessness” (we learn to be helpless).

Sales check: Any areas where you and your team have stopped trying (or try, but with little commitment) because prior repeated failures and/ or a perceived inability to succeed has trained you not to try? In prospecting and customer contact efforts? In motivating and improving team attitudes and cooperation? With customer care improvement initiatives?

If so, what can you start doing today to minimize any “learned helplessness” that may have set in?