As most of you know the majority of my time is spent on coaching calls, supporting students and companies with:
Sales Training,
Sales Leadership / Management,
Marketing support either execution or strategy
Team training
Lead generation
Telesales Training
With the uncertainty that surrounds us with the latest lockdown, I found last week that in most my coaching calls I had to pick people up, reset some of their goals, reprogramme some of their thoughts and beliefs and give them a positivity speech! – and for those that know me, you’ll know I can get pretty enthused!!
There was one call that stands out. This call was with a long standing coachee of mine. We have achieved some great things over the last 12 months and I always look forward to a high energy call with him. This call however was different. He looked different. Something wasn’t right!
Whilst on Zoom I was trying hard to focus on what he was saying, but the voices in my head started to take over my concentration
“has he had his hair cut?”
“Has he put weight on or lost weight?”
There was something very strange about him and I couldn’t put my finger on what it was but I could feel my energy dropping.
Was it me?
Was I not in the right zone?
I then realised it wasn’t me – it was definitely him! His smile had gone. His words didn’t match his body language. He was 24% up on the last quarter like for like, yet looked like his sales had come crashing down around him.
I rudely interrupted him and took him back to a few of the things he’d said and challenged what was he actually saying, and why the grumpy face? Then we got to the real truths. The plan wasn’t quite working as had been intended – Covid was causing issues with supply chain and his customers were having to close or work very differently.
Phew, It wasn’t me! This could be fixed. We spent the rest of the call re-planning what was needed, looking at how he could add value to his customers, putting a workaround in place for the Covid impacts.
Then it happened… the smile returned and so did the energy! He left the call upbeat, with energy and a clear plan – he also left with a strong instruction to go speak to every other sales guy in the team and to give them the same message and the same kick that he had just had.
This isn’t just a story, it’s a story with a message and more importantly a question… How are your sales people feeling right now? How are you feeling? Who is having conversations with your team? Do they have someone to spot a dip in energy, to help them bring clarity to a situation, to openly discuss an issue that’s in their way, to sometimes be blunt and tell them to stop moaning and get a grip, or to give them a plan.
We aren’t victims, we are responsible for our thoughts, our actions and what level of ownership we take of situations and events. Sometimes however, we need a helping hand.
Do you need to BE the helping hand or are you in need of one?
Joanne
PS If you’re in need of a pick me up, or think someone in your team is, drop me a message by pressing the button below.
