Do you know what it takes to be "the best of the best?" Does it take
knowledge? Experience? Preparation? Practice? Those are certainly
some of the required elements. But, is there more?
The pilots of the Blue Angels, the flight demonstration squadrons of the U.S.
Navy, are among the very best of the best pilots in the world. Their
precision high-speed flight maneuvers and gravity-defying feats are
astonishing.
How did these pilots become the best of the best? They trained, they
practiced, and they trained some more. And they continue to train,
and they continue to practice.
Train, practice; repeat. Is the formula really that simple? Will continual
training and practice enable anyone to become "the best of the best"
in their field? Or, does it require much more?
Yes, it's that simple. Yes, it will work for anyone. And, yes, there is more.
The formula requires one additional element and must be supported by
the appropriate mindset.
After every air show, regardless of how flawless their performances appear,
the Blue Angels pilots review the video of the show to identify what
they did correctly ... and also identify areas where they can
improve. The review is part of the overall process. What they
discover during the reviews is incorporated into the subsequent
trainings and practices.
So, the complete formula for becoming the best of the best is: train,
practice, review; repeat.
And, what is the mindset behind their willingness to continually train,
practice, and review their performances? It is a product of two
unwavering character traits: the commitment to continuous
improvement; and the humility to admit that there is room for
improvement regardless of how proficient they appear to be. David
Sandler captured the essence of that thinking when he stated, "There
is no status quo." He explained that in whatever endeavor you are
engaged, you're either moving forward, or you're falling behind.
What can you do to become a "best of the best" sales professional? If you've
received this newsletter from your Sandler trainer, you undoubtedly
recognize the benefit of the training and practice element of the
above formula. However, if you are like most salespeople, you don't
take full advantage of the review element and the benefits that can
be derived from it. While you may review a sales call with your
Sandler trainer or your sales manager, I suspect the occurrence of
those review sessions is not nearly as frequent or disciplined as
the Blue Angels pilots' review routine.
It may be impractical to review each sales call with your manager or trainer,
but you can conduct a review each and every time...with yourself.
The process is quick (five minutes or less), relatively painless,
and can be accomplished with nothing more high tech than a pencil
and a sheet of paper.
Before a sales call, write the date, the name of the prospect, and a brief
description of the purpose of the meeting at the top of a sheet of
paper. Divide the balance of the page into three columns. Label the
left column "Situation." Label the center column "I asked/said/did."
Label the right column "I should have asked/said/done." Set the
sheet aside until after the call.
Immediately after the meeting, while the events of the meeting are still fresh
in your memory, conduct your review. Start by identifying the things
you performed particularly well. Write a brief description of those
situations in the left column. Across form each situation, briefly
describe your corresponding action in the center column. For
example: Situation - prospect was hesitant to reveal budget
information; I asked/said/did - effectively used bracketing
technique to identify a budget range to which the prospect would
commit.
Next, identify the areas where you could have performed more effectively and
write a brief description of the situations in the left column. DO
NOT record what you did (which would only serve to reinforce poor
performance.) Instead, in the right column, describe what you should
have asked, said, or done to more effectively deal with the
described situations. If you're unsure about what would have been
better actions, consult with your sales manager or a colleague later
in the day and then record the actions.
Save your review sheets in a notebook and review them often. Over time, you'll
notice that the "I should have" behaviors described in the right
columns of the early pages have migrated to the "I did" behaviors
recorded in the center columns of the latter pages. As the book
grows in size, it will become a compendium of effective behavior
that chronicles your journey to becoming the best of the best.
©
Sandler Systems, Inc. All rights
reserved.
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