Famous and decorated American authors Joseph Heller and Kurt Vonnegut were at a party given by a billionaire on Shelter Island, NY. Vonnegut said to Heller: “Joe, how does it make you feel to know that our host only yesterday may have made more money than your novel, Catch-22 has earned in its entire history?
Heller’s response was perfect: “I’ve got something he can never have – I’ve got enough.”
When I was a rookie salesperson, I had to get rid of my clunker and buy a new car. When I rolled into the office with my brand-new Honda Accord, my boss Kristen proclaimed: “I like my salespeople to be in debt – keeps you hungry.” (For the record, Kristen was an amazing boss and she kept me in sales.)
For decades, this has been a common belief among managers: if a salesperson is in debt, then they will work harder because they need to pay their bills. For many managers, debt could be in their finances, but it could also be in their self-confidence, courage, experience, or education. Whatever shortcoming that could be used to manipulate a salesperson’s activity is often celebrated by leadership. If you’re going to be great, they believe, you’ve gotta have something to scare you.
I think that’s bullshit.
At the root of this thinking is that people need to feel some emptiness in order to motivate them. When people do this, they only fill the void with behavior that is inspired by fear. When things are going well, it’s called motivation. When things don’t go well, it’s called desperation. Either way, fear is the source.
So, what do salespeople need to be great?
They need to know that they are already enough.
I was always a pretty good salesperson, but I didn’t become great until I knew that I was already good enough. Then, I no longer needed to prove anything to anyone – including myself … especially myself. Once I had this foundation of confidence, then I became dangerous. All of my actions were pure. I was motivated to succeed for the simple reward of success. I walked away from bad business and great business was attracted to me. Once I knew that I had enough and was good enough, the world opened to me.
If you want greatness, then convince your salespeople that they’re already good enough. That’s when their efforts will be untainted and the results will start to flow unlike anything in the past.
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