ENVIRONMENT

Tom Brady In 2000 NFL draft, Sixth round, 199th player taken After 18 seasons in the NFL, 9 trips to the Super Bowl, 6 Championships. Based on these results, he proved to be the most accomplished member of his draft class. What would his legacy be, if he had been the first overall draft pick by Cleveland Browns. How important is coaching, ownership, culture, teammates, to an individual’s success? That is true of all aspects of life, who you surround yourself, or have as a mentor, or boss, or....... Life’s successes are not accomplished alone. Environment and surroundings are extremely critical to development of talent.

Be Aware of Your Thoughts
Because Your Thoughts Become Your Words
Be Aware of Your Words
Because Your Words Become Your Actions
Be Aware of Your Actions
Because Your Actions Become Your Habits
Be Aware of Your Habits
Because Your Habits Become Your Values
Be Aware of Your Values
Because Your Values Become Your Destiny

Page 301 Book “How to Treat Your Employees Like a Dog”

Sitcoms as Leadership Training Tool

Over the course of my career I have worked for eleven companies, they varied in size, geographic location and most importantly in leader styles. On more than one occasion I would see the people I worked with by day as characters on television programs in the evening.

I worked with people who had similar behavior as MASH characters, Radar O’Reilly the under paid, underappreciated, company clerk who knew all of the intricate workings of the organization and quietly made decision to create success; Frank Burns the wanna-bee leader with a title, very insecure, with no leadership skills, and a propensity to constantly screwing up; Colonel Blake the Lasse Faire management style commander of the camp, who neither led nor did he interfere with the unorthodox, unselfish, dedication behavior of middle lower level management staff.

At another organization I worked with people who you would swear were right out of casting for WKRP in Cincinnati with the likes of Jennifer Marlowe the company presidents secretary who possessed sophistication and experience to the point of actually running the organization; Les Nesman the incompetent, newsman in need of recognition, with good intent that often resulted in mishaps; Venus Flytrap the very stylish, suave, evening disc jockey; John Fever the morning DJ who appears to have lost a lot of brain cells in the 60’s yet offers profound thoughts; Andy Travis the new, young, over ambitious, station manager with progressive ideas who is unable to move the organization as fast as he would like. The company I worked for had all of these characters with the same behaviors, only different names.

 Then there was the years I worked in an organization who closely mimicked the behavior of the cast from F-Troop, Captain Wilton Parmenter the naïve, gullible leader; Sargent O’Rourke and his dim witted accomplice Corporal Randolph Agarn who used the organization for personal gain; then there were the simple minded troopers who unquestioningly followed directions, doing just the minimum to survive; best of all the Hekawi Indian Tribe (who got there name after head west, to escape the Pilgrims invasion, became lost, and their leader was heard to say where-the-heck-are-we) who adapted and adjusted to whatever environment they are subjected and us it to their advantage.

The absolute most entertaining were the years I was sure I was on the set of Hogan’s Heroes. While the egocentric, superior attitude, self-centered captors including the incompetent routinely manipulated Kommandant Col. Klink; arrogant, pushy, brash, but easily dupped Major Hockstetter; prototypical German General Burkhalter cautious decision making so as to always look good in Berlin. While the unassuming, humble, non-threatening in-mates, based the view of their captors, yet, were in fact running the asylum. While titled management spent their time trying to impress each other with extensive meetings, conference calls, and secretive behavior they were not paying any attention to the working staff, these people were very impressed with themselves. While at the same time the workers, able to work freely without management distractions, went about building a positive customer experience, improving production efficiency, and ultimately growing sales. Often manipulating management to stay out of the way of progress, the workers were able to make their own rules and procedures to get things done.

Those were my work sitcoms experiences, what are yours?

·                  Smile

When we smile we smell different because a smile stimulates the secretion of endorphins and serotonin which produce feelings of energy and happiness. Compared to when we frown, we do not enjoy the same neurotransmitter chemical feelings. Dogs instantly react different to a person smiling than when they are frowning, because the person smells different. Think about it.

Every day of my life, I continue to be amazed at the power of a simple smile.

People who smile live longer.

People who smile look younger

People who smile attract other people.

People who smile are fun to be with.

People who smile have lower blood pressure.

People who smile have high level of self-confidence.

People who smile have more energy.

People, who smile, are viewed by others as leaders.

People, who smile, are viewed by others as confident.

People, who smile, keep others wondering what they may be thinking.

If you can’t do anything else to make people glad they met you….at least smile, you will smell better.

JOB ONE = MAKING OTHERS GLAD THEY MET YOU

Page 300 Book “How to Treat Your Employees Like a Dog”

Behavior Begets Behavior

What a person is at age 7 is what they will be at age 70.

Bullies are a result of their early environment. The longer they are allowed to bully, or worse, are encouraged to bully, the deeper entrenched the behavior becomes. If the pattern is allowed to continue after age seven, a bully will be a bully for life. If under the supervision of a strong respected leader their bulling behavior may be controlled. But if a control figure is not diligent, or if removed, the bully will revert to bully behavior.

A person’s value system is established early in life. The first seven years of life are very important to how a person will act the rest of their life. So, how a 7 year old behaves is going to be very similar to how that same person will act when they are 70 years old. The only thing changing is the effect their behavior can have on others. The behavior they project and attributes they most internalize as important are securely in place. Like an amplifier, the more power or money a person possesses the stronger these values are displayed.

Money/power makes people more of what they are.

Those who are philanthropic will give more.

Those who are bullies will attack more.

Those who have a drug problem will become addicted.

Those with a drinking problem will become an alcoholic.

Those who volunteer their time will give more of themselves.

So when a bully obtains power or wealth their behavior becomes even more exaggerated. The example of people who amass great wealth in a short period of time, they have more money to spend on favorite activities. If they enjoyed gambling, the bets and losses become greater. If it is drug use, the amount is greater.

In contrast, those who give of themselves and experience great wealth become even more philanthropic, helping those less fortunate than themselves. Examples are Bill Gates or Warren Buffet who contribute huge amounts of money to charitable causes.

Article – Relationship sales

For the past several decades the concept of matrix sales has been touted as the future of selling. It is true the more frequent and consistent prospects see a product advertisement or sales presentation the greater the chance of that prospect to purchase your product. But as companies increased the frequency and intensity of their sales efforts; customers have equally created new tactics for defending against these promotions.  Today’s customers, with access to so many tools at their disposal for gathering product and service information, has become very sophisticated buyers. Selling today is more than increasing the repetition sales impressions or expanding the variety of modes for making a product impact. Customers have the convenience of selecting the medium and time frame they want to make a buying decision.

Relationship sales method, is still the strongest most consistent criteria for making a purchasing decision. After prospective customers have researched a product or service though whatever wide range of mediums they have, most still rely on a personal reference. Most people do not make a buying decision with consulting a friend, family member, or business associate.

Thus proving the most effect sales person a company can have, for their product or service, is a satisfied customer who then tells other prospective customers of their positive experience(s). Such a satisfied customer has to be considered, by the prospective customer, as having established trustworthiness. This Effective Sales Person is proven to be an objective individual who does not have direct relationship for personal gain regarding the buying decision.

Another effective relationship selling experience is when a sales representative has distinguished themselves to the level of becoming a sustained resource for a customer’s organization. A sustained resource is a sales person who has built a long time trust worthy reputation with a customer’s organization to the extent that they ultimately become an active participant in their customers buying decisions. In most cases such buying decision inclusions are related to products and services that sustain resource represents, but the deeper the sustained resources becomes valued, due to their knowledge and expertise, into the customer organization the greater the extent to which they are involved in their customer’s business decisions. The status of sustain resource takes years of consistent behavior to establish such trust. These are sales people who become very selective as to the companies they will work for since they understand the powerful influence of their reputation.

Relationship sales is not a short term experiment for immediate sales, it is the long term commitment to the future continuous success. The longer an organization has experienced consistent growth the more important the role of Relationship sales continues to play. Relationship sales methods have existed a long time and they play a very large role in organization with long histories of continuous growth. When the goal of an organization is building for long term continuous growth then it is important to make a commitment into relationship sales.

                                                           LISTENING

In the first six months of work at the first job out of college as a pharmaceutical sales person, I was responsible to meeting with physicians to present my products. The primary activity of this job was driving to physician offices in my sales territory meeting with the physicians and explaining the benefits of my company’s products, the side effects, and the best situations to use my company’s products. The physicians I was calling on had far greater education, more experience regarding the disease states my products treated as well as use of pharmaceuticals, so, it was a bit intimidating to make such sales calls. But that was my job.

On my first visit to meet with Dr. Foster, I enter the office, introduced myself to the receptionist, explained the purpose of my visit, she then told me to sit and wait. When there was a break in Dr. Foster’s schedule seeing patients the receptionist called my name, escorted me to the Dr. Foster’s office and told he would be in a short time. After taking a seat on the visitors side of Dr. Foster Desk I opened my detail bag pulled out my sales literature, arranged them next to me so I would be prepared when Dr. Foster arrived. After sitting quietly for several minutes Dr. Foster entered his office sat behind his desk in a swivel chair looking away from me, tilting his head back, he looked distant and a bit irritated. He seemed to mumble to himself while shaking his head. I was very uncomfortable, not know whether to speak. He did not look like someone who wanted to speak with a pharmaceutical sales person. What seemed like hours was probably just minutes.

I finally summons up the courage to speak. “Dr. Foster, you appear to have more important things on your mind than talking with me.” Why don’t I leave you alone to think by yourself?” As I packed up my literature, he slowly turned in his chair and began to talk. He told me about a house he is building, the problems he is having with the contractors and the additional expenses due to the delays. He went on to explain argument with his wife earlier that morning. He just rambled on for about 20 minutes telling me about a variety of issues in his life. I never said a word. I was too scared to. I was hearing more information than I wanted to hear. He expressed many personal opinions and feelings. As he began to wind down from his monologue, he then sat quietly, looking away from me for a few seconds, got up from his chair and left his office never acknowledging I was even there.

After he departed I felt emotionally drained, took a deep breathe, exhaled. In my mind I thought that was weird. Regaining my purpose for sitting in Dr. Foster’s office I packed up my samples and as I got out of my chair to leave, Dr. Foster popped his head in the office and asked “what did you want to talk about?” I responded with a one word answer, the name of the antihypertensive I was there to detail. He turned and disappeared down the hall. I left his office, thanked the receptionist as I passed through the waiting room. Went out to my car in the parking lot, placed my detail bag in the trunk, climbed in the driver’s seat, drove about a block away stopped and finally able to relax, I chuckled about what I had just experienced.

I worked on a six week call cycle. So six weeks after my initial meeting with Dr. Foster, when I returned to the Community where he practiced, it was procedure, before making physician calls, to visit local pharmacy’s to inquire about product sales. After introducing myself to the pharmacist he responded, Dr. Foster is writing your antihypertensive with both hands. The pharmacist went on to say that over the past several weeks Dr. Foster really has increased his use of your company’s antihypertensive product. We then talked about other products, other physicians, and the pharmacy materials for this call cycle.

The next stop was to visit Dr. Foster office. I followed my usually pattern, introduce myself to the receptionist, sit in the waiting room, have the receptionist escort me to Dr. Foster’s office, open my detail bag and prepare for his entry. Dr. Foster walked into his office made eye contact with me, I introduced myself, his face lit up. He sat behind his desk in that same swivel chair and before I could say anything else he started on his monologue of personal life events. Similar to what I had experienced in the previous visit to this office. He just rambled on about a variety of topics in his life. Similar to what had happened on the first visit, after about 20 minutes he stopped talking, took a deep breath, exhaled, got up and walked out of the office. This time, just before leaving the office he looked down at me seated by the exit and said “what product did you want to talk about?” I said the name of a vasodilator, he smiled and was gone.

Six weeks later on my next visit to Dr. Foster’s community and the pharmacy visit proved similar to the previous. Now the pharmacist said Dr. Foster was writing a lot of scripts for both my antihypertensive and my vasodilator. That pattern continued the entire time I called on Dr. Foster.

Not until the customer is ready to listen that any selling can take place. It is not how much is said, it is what is heard, even if it is just one word.

Too many people want to believe listening is a passive activity, it is not, it is a very powerful skill.