Finding Our Place in the Sun

 

sunrise on New Smyrna Beach, FL

Sales Man Up 

Finding Our Place in the Sun 

My calling is to help people, to teach people, to share with people, until I die. I can never stop doing that. I can't, and I don't want to.

Steve Harvey

Have you ever seen someone who is so good in their craft, talent or work ; that they make it seem effortless? How many of us have been inspired by a Ted Talks withBrene Brown, a speech from  Zig Ziglar or a Rich Roll podcast that we were motivated by their call to action ? We were moved to make some positive changes in our life. When someone is operating in the flow, there is confidence and energy that exudes from them. People impact the world around them  when they are in their zone . But how do we find that zone ? How do we find our place in the sun ?

I have always been in some kind of sales, but at one point in my journey, many years ago; I supported my family by managing sixteen commercial accounts for a janitorial company. Trash, toilets, vacuum, and mop yourself out the door , was my nightly routine. Rinse and repeat. It was honorable work but lonely. One night while scrubbing a toilet, the realization hit me that I would rather communicate with humans than deal with what came out of them. I loved being with people, and the solitude of my current job was draining me. I went home, updated my resume’  with my wife’s assistance, put on my Sunday dress clothes, and started knocking on the doors of local businesses. My path took me to a family owned aluminum company that I knew of through a church acquaintance. I did not have an appointment, so I left my resume’ and cover letter at the front desk. Back in the car, ready to turn the ignition; a man came jogging out to my vehicle and knocked on my window. “ I’m Allen, the general manager. I saw your resume’. What are you looking for ?” He said. I replied, “ I am looking for a sales position. “ Allen smiled and said, “ I just so happen to need a sales rep. Why don’t you come in and talk with me. “ I did. We talked. He hired me, and I spent twelve years of my sales career at Royal Aluminum. That was over thirty years ago, and I have not looked back. I found my flow when I was selling. 

What comes naturally to you ? Every job has challenges, but at what point do you feel like  you’re in the zone? My wife and I have a friend , a relationship we built from her yoga class. There is not a birthday or departure or loss or need to give thanks that Vicky forgets. She is always there with a greeting card for the group to sign. She naturally reaches out to others to make them feel welcomed or loved. Do you want to know the best places to kayak in Florida? Ask Vicky. We frequently see her car with kayaks in tow whizzing past our house, horn blowing , and her hand waving out the window. She never kayaks alone though. She always brings a group, because she believes in connecting people. She lives to encourage and appreciate people. It flows out of her, and she is an inspiration to everyone who knows her.

What flows out of you ? Now, more than ever, we need to listen to our hearts and see what bubbles up to the surface. Our focus should not be on perpetuating the divisive spirit that permeates our nation, but rather, we must ask ourselves, “ What can I do to make this world a better place ? How can I take personal ownership and become a better version of myself ? “ I believe when we do this, we will find our calling, our dharma; and  our place in the sun. 

A calling  is something you feel - you look out and see the need - maybe it's the need for the poor, to help poor people. Maybe it's the need to get involved in the race problem, as Martin Luther King was - he felt called.

Billy Graham

Mind The Small Things

Photo from Unsplash.com

Sales Man Up Blog 

Mind The Small Things 

If you can't do the little things right, you will never do the big things right.

William H. McRaven

Drip...drip...drip...goes the leaky faucet. Is there anything more disconcerting than lying in bed, struggling to find sleep, and feeling like your ears are being water boarded by a dripping shower or sink faucet ? In the scheme of life, does such a little thing like water dripping from a fixture matter all that much, really ? Yes, it does. Small things do matter, because they add up to become big things. The EPA has determined that …” A leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year. That's the amount of water needed to take more than 180 showers! “ (EPA . Gov) Pardon the pun, but this river runs deep throughout our personal lives as well as our careers.It is the small actions and habits that we do on a consistent basis that either make us or break us.

This plane landed home with me on this subject a few weeks ago when one of my design clients requested samples for a meeting with their healthcare end-user and contractor. This is not a difficult thing, as I order product samples everyday for my clients. Except in this situation, when I submitted my request to my Samples Dept, I failed to add the state into the address; and the samples were not shipped. The product didn’t show up for the meeting. My client was majorly inconvenienced and nearly switched out my product for another. All over two little letters- FL. Let me ask you, do small things matter ? You bet they do. At the end of the day, I owned my mistake, apologized to my client, and sought to preserve the relationship; but I learned a valuable lesson : Paying attention to details is paramount to success.

How about remembering your Anniversary day? Is that important? “ I think it’s sometime in the Fall” is not going to cut it . One small date. One big consequence. The same is true in business. Just try overlooking a little thing like completing your expenses for two months, and then try to accurately put all of those pieces back together. Not that I’ve ever done that before. Better to keep up with it every week, than to feel like you are trying to solve a murder mystery while reconstructing your life. 

Just a small spark plug powers a big engine, and a tiny rudder can guide a huge ship; so the small things within our lives cannot be overlooked or minimized. It is the small kisses, the brief hugs, and the “ love yous” over the phone , done on a daily basis, that keep those personal relationships alive and growing. Like daily brushing and flossing keeps our teeth healthy and strong; the prompt returning of phone calls and emails, keeping our promises, showing up on time, and following up and following through , add up to be big relationship builders as business professionals. Little things do matter. So, please pardon me as I step out to call a plumber to fix some leaky faucets!

God tests and proves us by the common occurrences of life. It is the little things  that reveal the chapters of the heart. 

Ellen G. White

The Cheese Is Moving

Graphic from Pixabay.com

Sales Man Up

The Cheese Is Moving 

CHANGE HAPPENS WHEN THE PAIN OF HOLDING ON BECOMES GREATER THAN THE FEAR OF LETTING GO. – SPENCER JOHNSON ( Posthood.com ) 

The one true constant in life is change. The last four months have brought more change than ever imaginable. COVID-19 has been the perpetrator of such radical disruption in our culture, our businesses and our world. Some have barely been affected. Others have lost loved ones close to them. Some have seen their jobs or markets vaporize; while many have trudged along, working from home ; being thankful to produce income during these trying times. Many companies have gone to the mat and have intentionally made sacrifices just to keep their people working. A maintenance business owner told me last week, “ we haven’t made much profit over the last three months, but we’ve kept all our crews working.” Well done.

In business, we have shifted from personal meetings to Zoom and Teams video conferences, from handshakes to social distancing, and from connecting over a meal or social event to cyber Happy Hours. It makes my head spin! These times strike at the core of every business professional who has built their lives and enterprise around relational connection and in-person face- to -face communication. It feels odd to be relegated to connecting only through electronic devices; like struggling to keep a long-distance relationship afloat.  I feel frustrated and handicapped, because I am missing out on being in my client’s presence! I no longer have the freedom of just dropping by with a new product, and a box of fresh Panera. The cheese has moved ! 

Spencer Johnson,  in his book, “ Who Moved My Cheese?” Tells the story about a universal challenge that we are all facing now-  change . Visionpoint.com summarizes it nicely : “  The fable centers around four characters; two mice named Sniff and Scurry, and two little people named Hem and Haw. The four live in a maze, which represents our physical environment. Their goal is to look for cheese, representing life's happiness and success. “  One day, when our characters return to the place where the cheese has always been, they find that it is gone ! Sniff and Scurry embark on their journey to discover where the cheese has been  moved, while Hem and Haw are paralyzed with fear. Should they put their track shoes on and run after the cheese? What if the cheese shows back up while they are out searching for it? What if the cheese never shows up again, and they starve to death ? In their dilemma they finally realize, the quicker they let go of the old cheese, the sooner they will find the new cheese. If they are not willing to change, they will become extinct. The fact is, “ life moves on ,” Spencer writes, “and so should we! “ Fear paralyzes us, but faith mobilizes us! 

I know so many business professionals ,myself included, that are way out of their comfort zones right now . Though many of us have faced recessions and personal setbacks, the season we face now is unprecedented. In our attempt to conduct business during this Pandemic , our openness to change, mental flexibility, and desire to persevere, is absolutely essential for our survival. The cheese has definitely moved. Our clients require a new level of service that meets their needs without endangering their health. They need current updates and information without us spamming their inboxes and overwhelming them . This requires more patience and creativity on everyone’s part- more handwritten notes, more follow up and follow through, and more “thank you’s “. We have to use the tools at hand to communicate effectively, to respond efficiently; while possessing authenticity and genuine empathy for our clients. 

I don’t know about you, but I’ve sort of grown fond of the taste of cheese over the years, so pardon me as I pause to lace up my track shoes. Happy running ! 

Being in the uncomfortable zone is much better than staying in the cheese-less situation. - Spencer Johnson 

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. - Alan Watts

Quotes from Brainyquote.com

Hope

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HOPE

Hebrew shepherd turned warrior turned King of ancient Israel once wrote, “ why so downcast oh my soul ?  Why so disturbed within me ? Put your hope in God...”

 ( Psalm 43:5) It is easy to become  so focused on negative circumstances that we lose all hope. And without hope, life becomes meaningless; and despair moves into the driver's seat. Viktor Frankl, who was an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist, author of “Man's Search for Meaning”, and Holocost survivor ; related a story about a group of prisoners in one of the death camps, that were forced to move a huge pile of dirt, using shovels and wheelbarrows; from one end of a bombed out factory to the other. Once the dirt pile was completely moved, their Nazi captors would have them repeat the process, moving the dirt pile to the other end of the building. Back and forth they went, day in and day out, until many of the prisoners literally went insane. Why? Because there was no purpose in what they were doing. They had lost all hope. 

Along that line, Viktor writes, “ A man who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears toward a human being who affectionately waits for him, or to an unfinished work, will never be able to throw away his life. He knows the 'why' for his existence, and will be able to bear almost any 'how.' “ It is our “why” that gives us hope. Hope is the anchor for the soul. It is the coldest and darkest hour of the night just before the breaking of the morning sun. It is the anticipation of that direct deposit that shows up in our bank account. And it is seeing the face of a loved one that we’ve been separated from by time and distance. This makes deposits into our emotional bank account. Hope enables us to take one step at a time, even though we may be walking through the valley of the shadow of death. Hope manifests as the discipline that laces up our running / work out shoes, even when we don’t feel like it. Hope is trusting in something or Someone greater than ourselves.

Hope was exemplified by the life of Jan Baalsrud. In the movie “12th Man” , Jan’s journey is described - “ After a failed anti-Nazi sabotage mission leaves his eleven comrades dead, Norwegian resistance fighter Jan Baalsrud finds himself fleeing from the Gestapo through the snowbound reaches of Scandinavia.” This gripping, thrilling narrative was underpinned by one unspoken truth - hope ! After the execution of his fellow soldiers, Jan’s only desire is to get to Sweden. If he could just make it to a neutral country, then he’d finally be safe! It is this very hope that fueled his grit and determination to endure being hunted down, shot at, freezing with hypothermia, starvation, frostbite and gangrene. What I found most inspiring were the ordinary people of Norway who fueled his hope by ( spoiler alert ! ) taking him into their homes, clothing him, tending to his wounds, transporting him, and literally lifting his head to feed him when he was too weak to feed himself ! You see, their hope was inflamed by his hope, and their faith in him and his cause, fueled his hope. You see how that works, don’t you ? 

When we know our “why” and choose to walk in hope, it affects those around us in a positive way. They “ tie off “ to our ship, because we are anchored. Now is not the time to fear. We do what is in our control to do, then we exercise hope! Be full of hope!

Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.

Thich Nhat Hanh

Just as despair can come to one only from other human beings, hope, too, can be given to one only by other human beings.

Elie Wiesel

Lock Down

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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) 

——

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

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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 

The Power of A Handshake

Sales Man Up 

The Power of a Handshake

In my lifetime, as a younger man, you were assumed to be an honest person. Your word was your bond, and a handshake was as good as a contract in business.

Mark Skousen

When meeting a person in business , it is customary to extend your hand in anticipation of them doing the same , so you both can clasp and shake each other’s hands. It seems like a natural thing to do , like saying “ God bless you” or “ gesundheit “ after someone sneezes. But why do we shake hands with another person ? Some cultures bow to each other with respect, while others embrace and kiss each other on the cheek. What prompted our Western / European cultures to adopt the shaking hands in greeting ? 

Handshakes as a form of greeting can be traced back to 5th century BC. Historical engravings show Grecian leaders embracing one another in a handshake of alliance  and comradery. Some say that during medieval times, the “shaking” of the hands ( and arms) , was intended to dislodge any hidden weapons that might otherwise turn the encounter into a not -so -friendly occasion.

The other elements of a greeting that accompany a good handshake are looking into a person’s eyes and verbally acknowledging them. The eyes are the lamp of the soul. Looking someone straight in the eyes creates trust. Have you ever encountered someone who refused to look you in the eyes ? How did that make you feel ? Uneasy, right ? This can also be true of someone who stares into your eyes for a prolonged period of time, so we have to be respectful of another's personal boundaries. A good salesperson will always look their clients straight in the eyes. This shows people that your motives are right, and that you have nothing to hide. The verbal component of our greeting goes part and parcel to acknowledging the person we are greeting. This action subconsciously whispers, “ I am human, just like you. You are of value, and I see you and appreciate you ! “

The University of Idaho wrote about the importance of a handshake: “ The way you shake hands speaks volumes about who you are as a person. For some people a handshake is just a useless formality but to others it is a massive indication of a person’s depth of character, trustworthiness and strength. When you shake hands with a person you are doing much more than saying “hello”. You are saying “this is who I am“.”

Ever hear the saying , “ How you say something is as important as what you say “?

How we greet and shake hands is as equally important. One day, while greeting a designer, I heard her hand pop when I embraced it for our handshake. She winced and pulled her hand back with a look of pain. I felt terrible. That was definitely not the kind of lasting impression that I wanted to make! Shake hands with confidence, but not domination. One size does not fit all. Some people may deal with carpal tunnel or have a hand injury. Some may be fighting a cold and only want to fist bump . Roll with it. An intuitive rep will adjust his or her greeting to the specific needs of their client. A greeting is like a first date- if it goes well, there is hope for a better relationship. If the right messages are not communicated and received up front, then you are dead in the water. 

 Remember this: Allies have been created with a mere  handshake. Wars have been ended with a simple handshake. Deals have been sealed with a sincere handshake. People that exhibit friendliness attract friends. Keep extending your hand in friendship. Keep smiling and looking others in the eyes, and keep building trust ! 

We're building a lifelong relationship with people, and every great relationship has to be built on trust.

Angela Ahrendts

The only way to get love is to be lovable. It's very irritating if you have a lot of money. You'd like to think you could write a check: 'I'll buy a million dollars' worth of love.' But it doesn't work that way. The more you give love away, the more you get.

Warren Buffett