There is a scene in Grown Ups 2 where
Adam Sandler simply refuses to acknowledge his son has a broken leg. Even
though the X-Ray clearly shows a break all the way through the bone, he doesn’t
want to accept it and continues to ask the doctor if it’s a sprain or a slight
fracture. The doctor, clearly getting frustrated, yells it is broken.
The scene is funny in some respects
because we have all been there before, doctor my ankle hurts, that’s because
its sprained. The sniffling is because of my allergies, no you have the
full-blown flu. Wrap the cut in some paper towel, it will be fine, rather you
need 4 stitches. We simply do not want to accept reality, especially when we
are not feeling 100%.
‘B & C’ level sales people are the
same. Regardless of how poorly they are peforming at times, they make excuses
that it’s simply not that bad. Whereas, ‘A’ level sales people, those few folks
that are more like finely tuned athletes, accept when something is not quite
right and they do something about. Why is this and what makes the ‘A’ level
sales people different?
Well, the doctor will see you now! In
the example of the finely tuned athlete, acceptance when something is just not
quite right is the first step toward correcting what is wrong. The athlete may
need to see a doctor, a massage therapist, their trainer or a nutritionist.
They know their bodies and they will seek answers to tough questions in order
to “get better” and therefore improve. ‘A’ level sales people are the exact
same, they will see the doctor when necessary. In fact, they want to see the
doctor ASAP, so they can get to the bottom of what is wrong with them, correct
the issue, and improve.
The doctor for the ‘A’ level sales
person is a metaphor for anyone that the sales rep looks up to, respects,
considers their mentor, or an advisor. More important to who the doctor is,
it’s the fact that the sales rep doesn’t wait to be told to see the doctor, he
or she voluntarily jumps at the opportunity to see the doctor. Unfortunately,
the ‘B & C’ level sales folks out there never seem to grasp this concept.
I’ve long prided myself on being an ‘A’
level sales person. I have a group of individuals that I call mentors and advisors and at least once every week or so I reach out to them for advice,
guidance, or a basic “checks & balances conversation”. In return I too
often serve in the doctors role. Am I the best sales person out there? Not by a
long shot, but I am better than many, if for no other reason than I’m not a Lone
Ranger. I believe that my sales energy comes from my own successes, the
successes of my team, and the guiding hand of my doctors. I’m also not an elite
athlete, but I do check in often with my trainers and nutritionist, not just
when I’m feeling a little off but to ensure I’m doing things right.
If you want to advance yourself, make
the move from a ‘C’ to a ‘B’ or a ‘B’ to an ‘A’ level sales person, get
yourself a doctor or two. Go see the doctor on a regular basis. Use the
doctor’s guidance when something’s not quite right. And use the doctor’s
guidance when you want to make sure things are continuing to go just right.