Lock Down

Sales Man Up 

Lock Down 

I am prepared for the worst, but hope for the best.

Benjamin Disraeli

Taking an early morning stroll with my wife through our neighborhood this week, I told her that I wanted to write some encouraging words for others regarding our Lock Down during COVID19 / Coronavirus. All of us find ourselves in the same boat, struggling forward one day, one step, one moment at a time. Many of us are either out of work, or conducting work remotely from our homes. Our center of living, thanks to the power of technology, has also morphed into the center of commerce; as one of my managers told me the other day, “ My wife is in another room running her business. My kids are homeschooling in their rooms. And here I am in my home office. “ Besides the obvious logistical challenges that we now face, and the desire to, well, stay alive; how do we maintain a positive attitude during these tough times?

My wife’s response to this question came in the form of an acrostic- “ LOCK DOWN”.

L - Look for opportunities. Take a deep breath and release it slowly with intention. Now that we have a few extra moments to breathe, we can look for opportunities… time to connect with our family, our neighbors, our friends, as well as our clients. Look for opportunities to learn that new app or language, catch up on your CRM/ Sales Force, or hone your skills as a business professional and a person.

O - Organize. Now is the perfect time to organize those areas of our lives, home, and business that we’ve been procrastinating. For me, tackling my samples warehouse was a daunting task I had been putting off. In my home office, my desk needs a little love, as it looks more like a toxic waste zone for bids and past projects. I actually have the moments I need now to find a place for everything and put everything in its place. Seize the moment. 

C- Call. Connect with clients and family alike with your phone. Call and Check on those who are alone, and stay connected to your  team through email, texting , Skype and Zoom. My wife has moved all of her personal training and yoga classes to the Zoom platform, and it has been a smashing success. Social distancing is being maintained with the element of connection, as she interacts with her clients , helping them to feel valued and cared for during this time of uncertainty . Who do you need to call that you haven’t spoken with in a long time ? Who do you know needs a word of encouragement today ? Follow the inner prompting of your heart and call them .

K - Keep your chin up. Jon Gordon, in his book, “ Energy Bus “ , states that it is impossible to complain and be grateful at the same time. I think the same applies to fear and thankfulness. No one wants to get sick and die, but to be consumed with fear is not really living at all. Like William Wallace proclaimed in the movie “Braveheart” , “Every man dies. Not every man really lives.” No, we do not bury our heads in the sand during this pandemic; and we make wise choices for the good of our own health and the good of others ; but we must also choose to live strong , fulfilling, and thankful lives ! 

 ( https://www.amazon.com/Energy-Bus-Rules-Fuel-Positive/dp/0470100281) 

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D - Don’t Panic. I never knew that toilet paper was so valuable. Forget silver, gold, and precious metals. I am investing in Charmin and Scott’s ! Some folks have literally gone off the deep end with fearful binge shopping during this pandemic. The empty shelves resemble hurricane season. Sure,it makes sense to buy what we can to help our families survive this unseen enemy; while always keeping in mind that our choices always impact others. Additionally, we owe a big shout out and “thank you” to all service personnel who stock the shelves of every grocery store, Sam’s Club, and Costco ; who have endured the stress and risk of this time. 

O - Ownership. How can we take ownership of all of our blessings and give back to those in need? This is where the goodness of Americans shines. Starbucks has agreed to offer free coffee to first responders and healthcare workers, who are laying down their lives on a daily basis. What can we do as companies and individuals to give back ? One of my work associates cooked up a batch of Mac and cheese that she was dropping off at Meals on Wheels, who delivers meals to the elderly and shut ins . We the People are the government, and our government runs best when we all do our part. As the Russian proverb says, “ If we all give a thread, the poor man will have a coat.” 

W - Workout. Let’s get moving ! Yes, the temptation is to stay glued to the TV, watching the latest news or binge watching on Netflix or Disney Plus, while stress eating high fat tortilla chips with melted white Vermont Sharp cheddar cheese ( not that I’ve done that…) Now is the perfect time to start an exercise program, like walking in the neighborhood or checking out the Downdog yoga app. Are there any virtual classes that you could join? One of my managers told me this week that he dusted off the ping pong table in his garage, and is now enjoying some games with his family . Now is the time to build our immune systems through positive consistent activity. Close those activity rings on your Apple Watch ! Connect with your family and friends through activity ( while maintaining proper distance, of course...) 

N - Never, never, never Give Up. Winston Churchill remains as one of the greatest examples of a leader who defied the odds, and unequivocally refused to give in or give up. No matter how intimidating the Nazi war machine raged against them, Great Britain, led by Churchill, maintained their resolve. We have to do the same ! Though the Coronavirus rages against us- against our entire world - we must never, never , never give up ! 

Choose to make Lock Down a positive season ! 

Peaks and Valleys

Sales Man Up

Peaks And Valleys

You Cannot Always Control External Events, But You Can Control Your Personal Peaks And Valleys By What You Believe And What You Do.

It Is Natural For Everyone Everywhere To Have Peaks And Valleys At Work And In life. 

― Spencer Johnson, “Peaks and Valleys: Making Good And Bad Times Work For You--At Work and in Life”

Who on earth doesn't experience ups and downs? We cannot separate the good from the bad, the bitter from the sweet, the banner months from the building months; because that is the law of the universe . Every rising market eventually experiences a correction. The other morning I was reminded of this fact while watching my lawn sprinklers watering my St. Augustine grass. I became acutely aware that my weeds were being watered along with the grass. Sometimes my weeds seem to grow better than the grass. I wish I could program my sprinkler system to only hydrate the good plants and omit the bad ones, but I cannot. Life doesn't work that way, does it ? I have to choose to deal with the weeds as they grow up and manifest themselves in my yard. The only thing I can change is my own actions. 

Markets change, don’t they ? What is up today might be down tomorrow. What is down today, will eventually go back up. An effective sales tactic or blockbuster product that filled the barn yesterday might not work today. Speaking of “ blockbuster”, just look at the change in personal entertainment -from videos and dvds to streaming. Who would’ve imagined wireless technology transforming the way we communicate over the last few years ? Video stores are on life support, while Netflix and Hulu rule the airwaves.

So how does this all relate to sales and business ? There are peaks and valleys within our markets and our territories also. Spencer Johnson tells us in his story-telling manner, that all mountains and valleys are connected. How we accept and move through both of these positions determines how long we stay in each. In other words, we can deceive ourselves in thinking that we will always live on the peak, that our product or service will always sell like hot cakes, and that those key customers or clients will always love us and sing our praises. During prosperous times, it is easy to get sloppy and over confident. We can even become prideful or arrogant about our high position, thinking that we are entitled to this level of success. Our standard of service and attentiveness to our clients can begin to slip. How fast we can fall from hero to zero !  I have experienced this in my own sales career, and it is extremely humbling to watch a third of your sales vaporize in an instant, due to external circumstances beyond your control. But what can we control?

We can take ownership of our reactions and responses. We are the master of our attitudes, mindset, and daily disciplines that are client-centered, and ensure our current and future success. Spencer exhorts us that while we are enjoying the success of the peak, it is wise to recognize and prepare for the valley that is eventually coming. By doing so, we can minimize the time that we will have to spend in that valley. You know it is coming, so why not prepare ?  Not everything about the valley is bad though, unless we allow ourselves to digress into a “ valley” mindset. In that valley, we are afforded a chance to pause for self reflection and honest lucid assessment of both our shortcomings and our strengths . When things were moving at a breakneck pace in the heat of the peak, it was easy to take those times for granted - easy to go out to dinner whenever we wanted or take that extended vacation out of the country. Lean times are educational sessions that teach us appreciation and thankfulness. Lean times also tap into our creativity and beckon us back to the most important things in life- relationships, our health, and peace of mind. 

Where are you today - in a peak or in a valley ? Both locations are part of the cycle of life and business . Jim Rohn so rightfully stated : “ Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.” Wherever we go, there we are. We can choose to live in a state of happiness regardless of the landscape of life - whether on a peak or in a valley. The choice is ours. Peace and Good Health  be with you. 

You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or  wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of. - Jim Rohn