Awesome Day at Autodesk

It was an awesome and exciting day in Austin, TX last Wednesday, because that was my first day back in the saddle, as I began my new job with Autodesk. I am excited to be working in the Media and Entertainment Division, specifically responsible for the sales development of a unique product, called 'Smoke for Mac'. Smoke is what is called a creative finishing product, used by any company who creates high-end video productions. For a quick look at how the product is used, you might enjoy watching how eyewear maker Oakley uses Smoke as part of their in-house post production pipeline to create corporate videos, short films, and advertising projects. Pretty cool stuff!

A strong voice mail message

Voice mail may be on the way out, replaced by email, texting, and social media, but it is still important to have a strong and enthusiastic voice mail greeting, especially if you are a sales person. I always liked my friend Tom Davin's voice mail, when we were first tennis buddies a number of years ago in Nashville, TN. At the time, Tom was a Regional Manager for Taco Bell, and I believe his message started: "It's a terrific day at Taco Bell . . ." 

Tom later became CEO of Taco Bell. I am sure his rise to the top was for many reasons beyond his enthusiastic voice mail compellation, but it goes to show that a little something beyond the normal can be an important way to set yourself apart from the crowd.

I have borrowed Tom's strategy through the years and my family likes to remind me of these various greetings:

• It's a magnificent day at Milestone . . . 
• It's a beautiful day at Balfour . . .
• It's a super day at Salient Systems . . .
• and now (soon to be) . . .
• It's an awesome day at Autodesk . . .

The Seed of Perspective

Can you re-frame?

Denis Waitley closes his book, Seeds of Greatness, with his tenth and final seed – perspective. Perspective is how you see life from within. The seeds of greatness are all about developing responses and attitudes that help you see the world in a more positive way. When you see things from the positive side, you grow more self-esteem, you see yourself as more valuable. Your imagination creates and soars.

I like the use of the term 're-frame', as a way of always looking to 'frame' the situation to the positive. Even the most difficult of times can be re-framed to find something good. Have the courage to adapt and to change your perspective in all situations, especially when times are tough.

The Ten Seeds of Greatness: 

1. Self Esteem
2. Creativity
3. Responsibility
4. Wisdom 

5. Purpose

6. Communication

7. Faith

8. Adaptability

9. Perseverance

10. Perspective

It has been fun for me to go back through my notes from a book I read over 20 years ago. I hope you have enjoyed these thoughts on the Seeds of Greatness. 

The Seed of Perserverance

The ninth Seed of Greatness, from Denis Waitley's famous Ten Seeds of Greatness, is perseverance.

This quote from Calvin Coolidge says it all:

"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful individuals with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." -- Calvin Coolidge (30th President of the US)

Press on!

1. Self Esteem
2. Creativity
3. Responsibility
4. Wisdom 

5. Purpose

6. Communication

7. Faith

8. Adaptability

9. Perseverance

USA into World Cup Final

Speaking of self esteem, creativity, purpose, and adaptability how about our USA Women's Soccer squad and their 3-1 win over France today. That puts our girls in the finals against the winner of the Japan vs. Sweden game. The championship match is scheduled for Sunday afternoon (2:45 PM EST) according to ESPN. Here is a great interview from our leading goal scorer Abby Wambach, where she speaks of her childhood, her love (and participation) in many different sports, and then her focus on soccer once she realized she had a special gift. http://es.pn/oiiE62

These girls are fun to watch and are doing our country proud with their humility, work ethic, and never-give-up attitude.

The Seed of Adaptability

Most people play up how awful things are today as an excuse to why they don't achieve. This current economic downturn (one of the worst in history) is a time when being adaptable can really come in handy. Waitley teaches that stumbling blocks are actually stepping stones to the stars. Not sure who said this, but I found it in some old notes: 

"I am adaptable, flexible, versatile, and ambitious. I am confident that I can do it all. Just give me a chance and you will see."

Crisis = opportunity.

1. Self Esteem
2. Creativity
3. Responsibility
4. Wisdom 

5. Purpose
6. Communication
7. Faith

8. Adaptability

The Seed of Faith

Fly with the eagles

Moving on in our study of Denis Waitley's Seeds of Greatness, we have our sixth seed, faith. Waitley describes faith as the realization of the things hoped for and unseen. He says that the mind can not distinguish between what is real and what is imagined.

Here are some action steps to more optimism and faith:

1. fly with the eagles;
2. hang out with kids;
3. listen to upbeat music; and
4. change your vocabulary. 

What the mind harbors, the body manifest. In scientific terms, I believe positive thoughts and actions produce endorphins - much like a good workout can give you that feeling referred to as a "runners high".

1. Self-esteem
2. Creativity
3. Responsibility
4. Wisdom
5. Purpose
6. Communication
7. Faith

The Seed of Communication

Continuing with Denis Waitley's Seeds of Greatness, the sixth seed is communication. There is much to be said on this topic, but today I want to focus on the word kindness, as in the often quoted Bible verse from 1 Corinthians 13:4 – Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud. Here are some nice thoughts on kindness from Mark Roberts, who writes a daily devotional for The High Calling.

Waitley gives these five simple tips on being kind when communicating with others: (1) get in touch with strangers, (2) extend your hand first, (3) eye contact, (4) smile, and (5) volunteer your name first.

He also provides a list of words to strive to eliminate from our vocabulary, followed by the suggested replacement word or phrase:

• I can't – I can
• I'll try – I will
• I have to – I want to
• should have – will do
• could have – my goal
• someday – today
• if only – next time
• Yes, but – I understand
• problem – opportunity
• difficult – challenging
• stressed – motivated
• worried – interested
• impossible – possible
• hate – love

Happy Birthday America and let us be kind to all we encounter this holiday weekend.

How will Austin's cultural, social and economic diversity shape our future?

It is a pleasure to inform you that the next edition of Forefront Austin has been released. This month's BIG question: How will Austin's cultural, social and economic diversity shape our future?

"The 2010 U.S. Census documents that Central Texas’ social, cultural and economic fabric is more diverse, varied and nuanced than ever before. Forefront Austin’s perspectives this month tell the stories behind the numbers—the opportunities, the challenges and the potential. Unexamined, diversity could lead too easily to division. Here Forefront Austin partners offer a glimpse into how Central Texans are weaving these distinct populations into unified and forward momentum for our region."

Come on over to Forefront Austin, where you will enjoy excellent feature perspectives on this important question. Family Eldercare's CEO (Angela Atwood) writes about Five Ways Central Texas is Aging with Style. Read about how Asian cultures are making their mark on Austin from the perspective of Sunni Jackson, winner of a student showcase essay from Manor ISD. Get in-the-know on Austin's growing Latin music culture, quickly becoming a larger part of our overall thriving music scene. Or click on this month's Infographic to see Central Texas by the Slice.

Next month's BIG question: Community Recess – What is the value of investing in play?

The Seed of Purpose

D.J. Gregory:

Continuing with my summary of Denis Waitley's classic book, Seeds of Greatness, subtitled The Ten Best-Kept Secrets of Total Success, let's take a look at seed number five. The fifth seed is purpose. Waitley's chapter on purpose is all about goal setting. He says, "The reason so few people achieve their goals in life is they never really set them in the first place." 

There is a power within all of us that moves us towards our dominant thoughts. Waitley encourages you to know where you are going and to live life with a purpose. I love the expression, 'He/She walks with a purpose!' You can just tell who the people are who move through life with places to be and people to see. 

How about D.J. Gregory, who walked every round of the PGA Tour in the year 2008 despite battling the crippling disease cerebral palsy? D.J. walked every hole in every round of 37 tournaments, covering over 800 miles. He had a purpose!

1. Self-esteem
2. Creativity
3. Responsibility
4. Wisdom
5. Purpose

Congrats to US Open winner Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy:

What an amazing US Open at Congressional Country Club in Washington, DC! Congratulations to Rory McIlroy who ran away with the title and played golf like he was playing a different course than the rest of the field. Whether or not we were watching the next greatest player ever, we were certainly watching some amazing golf and a shattering of US Open scoring records. I can't wait to see what Rory does at The Open Championship in mid July.

My friend Porter Briggs, who is a missionary in Honduras where he runs an orphanage, sent an email in response to my last post on The Dan Plan. In summary, Porter wanted to make these points about Dan's plan to become a professional golfer through putting in 10,000 hours of deliberate practice.

"In the 'nature vs nurture' argument, I actually believe nurture to be far more influential. I've discussed this issue with many people and I call it my "Michael Jordan Argument." The basic point being that if I, Porter Briggs, had had the opportunity to grow up with Jordan, and eat when he ate, practice when he practiced, and done everything exactly as he did, that I still would have NOWHERE NEAR his talent, and the reason being because I was not born with anywhere near the talent that he was. That said, I still think practice is extremely important, and it can be the difference between success and failure, but it can only take us as far as our genetics allow."

It will be interesting to continue to follow Dan and see if his deliberate practice can produce a golf swing as beautiful (or as effective) as Rory McIlroy's!

The Seed of Wisdom

The fourth seed of greatness that Denis Waitley teaches in his classic book, Seeds of Greatness, is wisdom. He describes wisdom as honest knowledge in action. It is one thing to know something well or to be good at a specific talent. But when we use our knowledge and our talents to do good in the world, we are practicing wisdom. I like this quote from Thomas Wolfe:

"If we have a talent and do not use it - we have failed. If we have a talent and use only half of it - we have partially failed. If we have a talent and somehow learn to use all of it - we have gloriously succeeded and won a satisfaction and triumph that only few individuals ever know."

Some great questions to ask about your Wisdom (p. 113):

• Are you honest with yourself and others?
• Do others trust you completely?
• Are you going where you want to go, doing what you want to do, and becoming who you want to become?
• Are you making the best of your real talents in your profession?

1. Self-esteem
2. Creativity
3. Responsibility
4. Wisdom 

Hiking Yoga and Tee it Forward

Tree Pose:

One of my goals when I left Salient Systems in early January was to attend 80 yoga classes in 90 days. Yoga is a great way to restore your body and replenish your mind. I enjoy the low impact, peaceful pace of the classes and find that it helps me start my day with a wonderful outlook on life. I am pleased to report that I have made that goal and am, in fact, on-track to attend 160 yoga classes in 180 days. To celebrate, my wife treated me to a Hiking Yoga excursion this weekend on the beautiful Barton Creek Greenbelt. Hiking Yoga is a unique 90 minute workout that combines the cardio of hiking with the power of yoga. I commend it to you.

I wish I could report having accomplished my other athletic endeavor, which was a golf goal. I aspire to break 80 from 6000 yards. Like my yoga goal, I set my golf goal in January, well ahead of the PGA Tour's new Tee it Forward initiative. At least I am on the same wave length as the PGA and I am far more flexible, thus I know that round in the 70's is coming one day.

"Simply put, TEE IT FORWARD can make golf much more fun for millions of people," said PGA of America President Allen Wronowski. "We believe that by moving up to another set of tees, golfers will experience an exciting, new approach to the game that will produce more enjoyment and elevate their desire to come back and play even more golf."

 Who is going to win the US Open?

The Dan Plan - checking back in

The Dan Plan

I thought it would be fun to check back on Dan McLaughlin and his transformation plan from no previous golf experience to golf expert by way of 10,000 hours of deliberate practice. Dan quit his day job as a commercial photographer on April 5, 2010 and began his journey to see if he could become a professional golfer. He will hit the 10,000 hour mark in November of 2015, with  8,379 more hours to go. Dan's goal is to inspire others to live their dreams and accomplish their goals. He has a full team of support, including a golf coach, a strength coach, a nutritionist, a cinematographer, a marketer, and a web designer. Of interest is that he still has only a putter, pitching wedge and 8-iron and is learning the game from 100 yards and in.

 "Individual differences, even among elite performers, are closely related to assessed amounts of deliberate practice. Many characteristics once believed to reflect innate talent are actually the result of intense practice extended for a minimum of 10 years." (The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance: Ericsson, Krampe, Tesch-Romer)

The Seed of Responsibility

The third seed of greatness from Denis Waitley's book of the same name is responsibility. Last week, we looked at creativity and the week prior was self-esteem. This week, it's responsibility and Waitley focuses on using our self-control to live responsible and productive lives. Here are Waitley's seven C's of self-control:

• We control the clock
• We control our concepts
• We control our contacts
• We control our communication
• We control our commitments
• We control our causes
• We control our concerns

Next, let's check in on The Dan Plan, and see how our friend Dan is doing with his commitment to perfect his golf game through 10,000 hours of practice.

Inculcate - to implant by repeated statement or admonition

I have a friend named 'Fast' Eddy Epperson, who developed Easy Street in the 70's. We live on Easy Street, which has become somewhat of an anomaly around our house these days, considering we have a gaggle of girls to put through college and life can seem a little chaotic at times. In fact, we live in the house that Ed built for his family.

I enjoy having coffee with Ed to hear stories about Austin and to discuss life from the perspective of someone nearly 25 years older than myself. (I am 51.) Ed is in fantastic physical condition. He plays tennis nearly every day, participates in strenuous yoga classes, goes on an annual ski trip where he skis 30 straight days in Colorado, and rides a motor cycle. He has no diseases and all of his joints and bones work extremely well. While some of this is just good genetics, there is no doubt that much of it is in the way he chooses to take care of himself. He is a retired veterinarian, and gives much of the credit to what he learned from taking care of animals.

Today we talked about the Andre Agassi autobiography, Open, that I wrote about last week. Ed made the interesting observation that Agassi was inculcated from a very early age as a pugilist and a defender. Agassi's father was an Olympic Boxer (of Iranian and Syrian origin) who trained his son literally from the crib to hit a tennis ball. Agassi remembers watching his father once get out of their car and fist fight a man who had cut them off in traffic, his father getting the better of the man. Agassi displayed these scrappy and defensive characteristics throughout his career with the best return game of all time, and some of the best baseline ground strokes ever.

It makes me wonder what I learned from my parents and what my children are learning from me?

The Seed of Creativity

From Denis Waitley's famous book, Seeds of Greatness, we look this week at the second seed – creativity. Waitley teaches the importance of healthy role models and positive value education, by choosing to spend time with people who inspire us and only watching or reading things that are positive. He says, "If a sixty second commercial can sell us on a product, can't a sixty minute soap opera sell us on a lifestyle?" (Sorry all of you soap opera fans, I agree.)

Our value systems are formed in our subconscious through repeated viewing. The body does not know the difference in what is real and what is imagined. When it comes to self image, who you see in your imagination will rule your life. Concentrate on reinforcing positive healthy experiences from the past and also simulate successful projects or lifestyles, as if they were actually happening in the present.

From page 71 in the book, here are a few characteristics of creative individuals. How many of these fit your personality?

• Optimistic about the future
• Constructive discontent with status quo
• Highly curious and observant
• Open to alternatives
• Daydreamer, projecting into future
• Adventurous, with multiple interests
• Ability to recognize and break bad habits
• Independent thinker
• Whole-brain thinker (innovative ideas into practical solutions)

Celebrating Memorial Day and General O.C. Malcom

 General O.C. Malcom:

 

As we celebrate Memorial Day and the men and women who have served our country, I think of one of my favorites, my Father-in-Law, Retired General O.C. Malcom. I call 'Pop' and a select group of other special friends, my 'cheeroes' - a hero who cheers you onward.

Proverbs 27:17 says: "As iron sharpens iron, so one man (or woman) sharpens another." The footnote in my Bible (NIV Life Application Bible) sums this up this way:

"There is a mental sharpness that comes from being around good people. And a meeting of the minds can help people see their ideas with new clarity, refine them, and shape them into brilliant insights. This requires discussion partners who can challenge each other and stimulate thought -- people who focus on the idea without involving their ego in the discussion; people who know how to attack the thought and not the thinker. Two friends who bring their ideas together can help each other become sharper."

These words remind me of 'Pop' and I know they ring true to many others who have served our country. God bless America!

Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi

Andre Agassi:

This week, we looked at Denis Waitley's first seed, in his famous book Seeds of Greatness – Self Esteem. Over the next nine weeks, we will focus on each of the other seeds, for a total of ten: Self Esteem, Creativity, Responsibility, Wisdom, Purpose, Communication, Faith, Adaptability, Perseverance, and Perspective.

My daughter gave me a copy of Andre Agassi's autobiography, 'Open' for a Christmas gift and it has now made it to the top of the reading pile. I can't put it down. Sports Illustrated said the same thing: "The writing here is exceptional. It is can't-put-down good." "Bracingly devoid of triumphalist homily, Aggassi's is one of the most pasionately anti-sports books ever written by a superstar athlete," says The New York Times. And Entertainment Weekly says, "Not only has Agassi bared his soul like few professional athletes ever have, he's done it with a flair and force that most professional writers can't even pull off."

The book is a fascinating insight into the psyche of one of the most unique individuals you will ever encounter. And it rings true to this weeks topic of self-esteem, as Agassi ("Image is Everything") explains how he battled self-esteem demons throughout his career. Self-esteem demons that we all battle, whether or not we have the best return in all of tennis. My wife and I remember sitting in a Nike Town in Atlanta, GA one Saturday morning in 1988 listening to Andre speak to a small group of fans. This was the long-haired, teen-age, rebel Andre and before he had won his first Grand Slam. We both walked away thinking, this guy has a heart as big as Atlanta, GA. There was something special about him that you couldn't quite put your finger on. Make this book a summer read!

How will GENERATION Z change Austin?

Forefront Austin:

It is a pleasure to inform you that the next edition of Forefront Austin has been released. This month's BIG question: How will GENERATION Z change Austin? If you are like me, you may not have been aware that generation Z has arrived. Well they have! In fact, I have a gen Z living in my house, my youngest daughter Lucy, who is 11 years old. Here is how the generations breakdown:

"Boomers (1946 -1964) reflected post-war optimism with a huge population surge and increased consumerism. Generation X (1968 - 1982) redefined family and work as a reaction to those overworking, divorcing Baby Boomers. Generation Y (1982 - 1995) are team players who follow the rules in response to Gen X's self-directed, rule-breaking outsider ways."

"So what is Generation Z (1995 through today) going to bring us other than fierce iPhone skills?" Come on over to Forefront Austin to find out. Don't miss the excellent perspective from Austin Independent School District, including the entertaining slide show of past and future classrooms. A fabulous infographic from Forefront editor Abby Sandlin, titled 'Talking about my generation: Boomers to GenZ.' A question and answer interview with Mark Kliester of Boys and Girls Club of Austin titled: 'Putting the breaks on the poverty cycle'. And lastly, a trifecta persepective on teen pregnancy from AISD, LifeWorks, and Planned Parenthood of Texas.

The Seed of Self Esteem

The first seed, from Denis Waitley's best selling book Seeds of Greatness is Self Esteem. Did you know that one's self esteem can often be traced back to early childhood and how much positive or negative 'affirming' one received as a child? Of course, regardless of our childhood experiences, at some point we must take responsibility for ourselves and choose our own feeling of internal value. Waitley says, "Successful people always believe in their own worth, even when they have nothing but a dream to hang on to!" It is easy to feel good about yourself when everything is going well. But in times of trouble, that is when it is so important to see yourself as a worthwhile, changing, imperfect, growing individual. When you realize that you are always growing and learning, times of trouble take on a completely different meaning.

Here are ten action steps to building self-esteem from Waitley's book:

1. Always greet people with a smile. When introducing yourself take the initiative to volunteer your name first and extend your hand first, looking the person in the eyes when you speak.
2. In telephone communications, answer the phone pleasantly and immediately give your name to the caller.
3. When in the car, listen to inspirational radio or recordings.
4. Invest in your own knowledge.
5. Always say 'thank you' when you are paid a complement, by anyone, for any reason.
6. Don't brag!
7. Don't tell your problems to people, unless they are directly involved with the solutions. And don't make excuses.
8. Find successful role models that you can pattern yourself after.
9. When you make a mistake or get ridiculed or rejected, look at the situation as a learning experience.
10. Spend one day a week doing exactly what you want to do!

Wooden on Leadership, Penick on having dinner with good putters

100 Smiles an Hour:

For those that follow 'The Churn' in Austin and for those who love golf, I thought you would enjoy two short videos on our Westlake Chaps Girls Golf Team, the two-time Texas State UIL 5A Champions. The first video (3 minutes) was the introduction to Coach Chuck Nowland's remarks at the banquet this week, and features inspiration from John Wooden and Harvey Penick. It will give you a sense of the amazing golf program we have at WHS. The second video, titled 'Road to State' features photos from District (Lion's Municipal in Austin), Regional (Cottonwood in Waco), and State (Jimmy Clay in Austin). The music in the second video is titled '100 Smiles an Hour' by Ceili Rain and it does a great job of capturing the love these girls have for the game and especially for the team concept that our coaches teach. Enjoy!

Seeds of Greatness

Westlake captures 2011 State Title:

Congratulations Coach Chuck Nowland, Asst. Coach Lane Grigg, and our Westlake Chaps Girls Golf Team for winning their second consecutive 5A UIL State Championship. Texas has the best high school golf in the nation, and this was a super accomplishment.

In that vein, I recently went back through some notes I made in the early 80s, when I was just out of college. One group of notes was from Denis Waitley's famous book, Seeds of Greatness (Simon & Schuster, 1983). In this book, Waitley outlines what he believes to be ten attributes, or seeds, that can lead to a fulfilling life.

Let's take a look at each of these over the next ten posts:

1. The seed of self-esteem
2. The seed of creativity
3. The seed of responsibility
4. The seed of wisdom
5. The seed of purpose
6. The seed of communication
7. The seed of faith
8. The seed of adaptability
9. The seed of perseverance
10. The seed of perspective

The Champion Salesman - Conclusion

This concludes our series on The Six Characteristics of the Champion Sales Professional. I call it ELU Squared or ELU to the power of two:

• Energy - Energy management above time management
• Enthusiasm - Learn the language of enthusiasm
• Likability - Be likable
• Love - Love what you do and know it well
• Unique - Be unique and extra-ordinary
• Urgent - Learn urgency, even when urgency may not be present

I hope you have enjoyed this series. Stay tuned for more on entrepreneurialism, successful selling, energy management, and spirituality.

Urgency - Let it rain, let it rain

Forefront Austin

This week on 'The Churn' we have been discussing the word 'urgency' and the idea that a champion sales professional knows how to apply urgency, even when it may not be present. This is how the pros move prospects through the pipeline, from initial contact, to a strong relationship, to a closed sale. They find ways to make the building of the relationship urgent, without being overbearing. And they find reasons why the prospect will benefit from their product or service and they put those reasons front and center.

This concept of 'urgency – even when urgency may not be present' works in another way for those of us in Central Texas, as it relates to our water supply. We have been under drought conditions for several months. Since we finally got some rain this week, I want to point my readers to some great material over at Forefront Austin. Forefront is one of my consulting projects and is a unique Austin business on a mission to make our community stronger, by helping engage our citizenry around important issues.

This months 'big question' is "What is the biggest environmental challenge Central Texans need to address in the next ten years?" As you might imagine, it is time to get 'urgent' about our water usage. I especially commend this article, titled Ten Steps to Conserve Land and Water. If you enjoy what you learn at Forefront Austin, be sure to sign up to receive our monthly distribution. Next months topic will be education and youth. How will generation Z change Austin?

Urgency - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Adapt the pace of nature:

Ralph Waldo Emerson, the great American essayist and poet of the 19th century said, "Adopt the pace of nature, her secret is patience." A great salesman understands this wonderful quote. There is a certain rhythm to successful selling, like there is a rhythm to nature and to all of life. 

A champion salesman goes about things with the pace of nature. There is a sense of calm urgency when dealing with a successful person, not a sense of panic or anxiousness. You want your prospects and clients to sense your confidence and your pace. Every interaction is a chance to show someone that you are a person of purpose, a person who wants to reach out and help solve problems. Like the four seasons, you want your prospects to know that you will be back in touch and that you are always there, but not in a way that is overbearing or annoying.

On a tactical level, I offer these tips to being a person who portrays urgency, even when urgency may not be present.

• Have a great voice mail message. Make sure it is your voice and that you sound enthusiastic about what you do.
• Always answer the phone with a sense of purpose and interest.
• Return phone calls as quickly as possible and always the same business day.
• Use actionable language in your email communications.
• Every interaction is a chance to share a story of success.
• Create reasons to be in touch. People want to hear good news. Find it and tell it.
• Never end a meeting or a conversation without a follow-up agenda.
• Do what you say, when you say.

Urgency - Even when urgency may not be present

Be urgent!:

Transitioning now to the final building block of my ELU Squared pyramid. Over the past five weeks, we have looked at five of The Six Characteristics of the Champion Sales Professional. We have focused on (above all else) energy management (as opposed to time management), we have an understanding of enthusiasm as it relates to top sales people, we went old school with likability, we love what we do and we know it well, and then last week we talked about being unique so that your clients and prospects always remember you. This final piece, urgency - even when urgency may not be present, is perhaps the least understood of the six characteristics.

I think I first learned about urgency from my good friend and the very talented Ricky May. Ricky has had an amazing career in the sports business, ranging from minor league baseball (Durham Bulls) to college athletics (University of Louisville) to auto racing (Valvoline Oil and NASCAR). When I was first starting my career in sales, Ricky and I would speak by phone almost every day and the first words out of his mouth would always be: "Did you sell anything today?" It is really a pretty good question to ask yourself everyday if you have a sales job. It gets right to the heart of the matter, doesn't it?

If you read these short essays on a regular basis, and if your career is sales (or marketing) let me ask you a question and I will pick it back up tomorrow. What does it mean to apply urgency, even when urgency may not be present?

Guy Kawasaki - Enchantment and Likability

How to be more enchanting:

There's a great on-line book study going on over on The High Calling. The goods folks there are studying Guy Kawasaki's new book, Enchantment - The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions. It starts with this 12-minute video interview of Guy, by Cheryl Smith titled: On Enchantment, persuasion, work and faith. Worth watching, and especially love Guy's perspective on faith and the work place. There was a Twitter Party, that included Guy that I missed and I am sorry, as that would have been a totally new experience for me.

And today, the discussion of Chapters One and Two on the topic of 'Likability' can be found at this post from Laura Boggess: Achieving Likability: Crow's Feet and the Perfect Handshake. It is a funny and well-done essay and I love this line from Guy:

“Enchantment is like fitness. Everyone can be more (or less). It’s a process, not an event.”

Be sure to check out the list on how to be more likable and the link to the perfect handshake. I hope to buy the book and join the discussion. Join me if you can.

churnOn Top Ten: Action oriented, unique ways to close an email

This week we have focused on how being 'unique' is a key characteristic of a champion sales person. One way to be unique is to have communication skills that are, as Yogi Bear would say, "Smarter than the average bear." This means strong in written and verbal communication. For example, I have always thought that a great salesman has a unique voice mail message – something upbeat and action oriented. Something that leaves people feeling good and positive.

I have also always enjoyed trying to find unique ways to make my email communication effective and action oriented. For example, how do you close an email? Do you have closings that go beyond the typical 'Best regards,' or 'Sincerely yours,'. Here is my churnOn Top Ten, action oriented, unique ways to close an email:

10. Until then,
9. With anticipation,
8. Talk soon,
7. Stay the course,
6. Stay tuned,
5. Press on, or Pressing on,
4. All good things,
3. Good stuff,
2. Over to you,
1. Let's make it happen,

What are your favorite ways to close an email? Next week we will transition to the final characteristic, and I think perhaps the least understood of all: Urgency – Learn to apply urgency, even when it may not be present.

"Great sales people are competitive and emotional; it is what makes them great"

Give me leaders, not bosses:

Today was going to be a churnOn Top Ten: Unique Ways to Close an Email, but I have decided to save that for tomorrow, in favor of this excellent essay from Matt Sharrers, Principal at Sales Benchmark Index. My friend Greg Petersen recently introduced me to Greg Alexander, the founder of SBI, and I have enjoyed following their work in the field of sales force effectiveness.

This essay speaks directly to what I have been formulating relative to 'A' players in my series, The Six Key Characteristics of the Champion Sales Professional. All of the top performers I have ever known, including myself, are highly competitive and highly emotional. Give me a leader who understands the importance of these two traits (emotional management tactics), over a boss who only focuses on the numbers (logical management tactics) any day of the week.

Are you working in an environment that celebrates leaders or bosses?

How am I unique and extraordinary

Yesterday, we began exploring how champion sales people are unique and extraordinary. Since I am writing this series, one would assume that I consider myself a champion sales person. I think my track record of entrepreneurial sales successes speaks for itself. So I started thinking about how I am unique and extraordinary. Here are a few ways that I separate myself from the pack. Some of these attributes have been developed over time, while others were more innate.

I walk fast. ("That guy walks with purpose and is going places in his life.") I have a beautiful bald head, developed over time. I smile a lot. I make people feel good. I write action oriented follow-up emails and personal notes. I have very good phone mannerisms. I hate to lose. I manage my energy exceptionally well. I am enthusiastic. I have high empathy. I understand the final key of the champion sales person: how to apply urgency, even when urgency may not be present. (Urgency is next weeks topic, and one that most sales people do not understand.)

I also do some things that are not well-liked in certain situations. I despise long meetings. I get bored with trivial conversations. I walk fast. ("That guy is always in a hurry and doesn't slow down to listen to what I have to say.") I would rather 'do' than 'talk about doing'. I have a ready-aim-fire mentality. These things may not make me the most popular guy around the water cooler, but they are typically the traits of a top grade sales person. 

Tomorrow, is a churnOn Top Ten:  Unique Ways to Close an Email.

ELU Squared: Be unique and extraordinary

ELU to the power of two:

Every top producing sales person I have ever encountered fits into the category of being both 'unique' and 'extraordinary'. I read recently that top sales people might be some of the most insecure people in the world, ranking just behind aspiring actors. When you never know where the next sale is coming from and when the entire organization is depending on the sales team to deliver results, it is easy to feel insecure. Not to mention, the willingness to stake your earning potential on your ability to close sales. In some ways, a sales person needs to be like a good actor or actress, able to 'turn on' energy, kindness, charm, and persuasiveness throughout the sales process.

This week we will explore ways in which top producers are unique and extraordinary. Some of these characteristics may be viewed as less than flattering by others within the organization. For example, top sales people know that in order to perform at a high level, they need to be either on the phone selling or in the field selling. I do not know any top sales people who enjoy internal meetings or long drawn out internal conversations. While this can be seen as impatience or lack-of-respect, it is really competitiveness and a burning desire to be out selling. It also should be noted that more often than not, the top sales person is not necessarily the master of the CRM system. Selling is more a right brain skill, then a left brain skill. Perfection with the CRM system is in direct contrast to 'what can I do to close the next sale?'

If you are in sales, ask yourself if you are unique and extraordinary (i.e. not ordinary)? What defines you as a sales person? Are you always churning on the inside, worried about where the next big one is coming from? Are you quirky in any way? Competitive? If you answered 'no' to the yes/no questions in this list, then you might want to rethink your line of work!

Commentary from Strategic Positioning

Strategic Positioning:

Before we move on to the U's – be unique (and extra-ordinary) and apply urgency (even when urgency may not be present), I received some thoughtful commentary regarding Friday's essay on finding your dream job, from my friend Jim Blanchard of Strategic Positioning. Jim suggested I look at my 'Birkman Profile' in relation to the following paragraph from the post. (The Birkman Profile is an industry-leading personality assessment that facilitates team building, executive coaching, leadership development, career and talent management and interpersonal conflict resolution.) Jim's comments bracketed in bold:

Do stuff you love to do (emotionally vested, passionate) [Your interests are what makes you happy], stuff you are good at (talents, focus, drive, energy) [Your usual and most productive behavior], and stuff that someone will pay you to do (what the world needs.) [Find the environment  that satisfies your own needs, because you cannot be fully productive unless you are in a place that meets your inner needs and nourishes you.]

This all points to the importance of knowing yourself. What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are your behavioral tendencies in certain situations? The Birkman Profile is a great way to help you understand these things. There are other similar (but different) tests, such as the popular Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or DISC, a quadrant behavioral model that evaluates peoples' traits within their environment or within a specific situation. MBTI and DISC are inexpensive and can be found on-line, however I think it is important to discuss your results with an expert and to hold yourself accountable to improving in specific areas. I can personally recommend Jim's work at Strategic Positioning (Austin, TX) or the talented folks at The Flippen Group in College Station, TX.

On a lighter note, as we churnOn into May, the always clever sign in front of Cedar Creek Elementary says:

"Don't be a pessimist, it won't work."