What determines the rise and fall of man? Passion does. Passion is not just a tool in selling or influence. It's you! In fact, Passion is life itself. Passion is about what you open your heart to, and whatever you choose to let in will determine nothing less than the direction and outcome of your entire life.
|
Maybe the most powerful feelings we ever experience is the sensation of Passion?
|
|||||||||
else matters less, or even close to nothing. This Passion, however, is still something you can choose. Passion - one of your greatest assets in life - doesn't need to be accidental, and it shouldn't be. We should carefully consider why and for what we open our Passionate powers. Why? Because it may (and I believe it indeed will) determine the direction and outcome of our entire life.
Let's consider two basic principles of Passion from which we may extract a few simple rules, and which when applied will produce the success every trainer, manager or even parent wants to achieve:
(1) Passion Precedes Results
In a professional setting the majority of the work force is not passionate at all. If they were, you'd see dramatic improvement both in performance and learning, instantly!
|
Before we do training, therefore, we assess the level of Passion in each individual team member by the use of a tool called "Passion Assessment". (We also make use of similar tools for "Connection Assessment" and "Intuition Assessment").
|
||||||||
itself. However, the long term results are of far greater concern. We have found that if team members' Passion from training remains for more than 21 days results naturally follow.
To make such a reality, team members need a burning WHY and WHAT to remain passionate. This makes all the difference!
RULE # 1: .Effective training includes at least 20% WHY and WHAT
(2) Passion Triggers Feelings
...and feelings are good. We want employees to be emotional about their work. The best employees are those who know how they feel and are able to both communicate and stay in control of their feelings in a balanced manner.
|
The minute we start tapping into Passion an interesting thing frequently happens: Conflict comes out of the closet.
|
||||||||
RULE # 2: Start building trust by getting feelings out in the open first
So to summarize...
If you want to be successful - if you want to influence others - you have to be passionate about WHY you do WHAT you do. You have to exercise influence in such a way that others become passionate too, i.e. self-sufficient and without your constant help in the long run.
Passion is what will determine your rise or fall. It will be how you rise. It will be how you fall. The same goes for all the people around you. Passion is the beginning of success.
Greater influence brings you faster to where you want to go. Passion is the definitive first step to greater influence. To a greater or lesser degree Passion lies in every positive change you ever saw. How can you tell how much Passion you've got? It's something people keep asking me. That's why this time I'd like to highlight three traits of Passion that seem to surface in successful individuals.
Passion, Connection and Intuition are the three components of influence.
Since Passion is the beginning of influence - in fact, the world never saw success without it - why don't we take a closer look at the immediate side effects Passion has on us. It's a long list of positives, but the following three emerge as the most dominant characteristics:
|
(1) UnstoppableThe right kind of Passion makes you unstoppable. Whereas average people easily get discouraged and resent rejection, passionate people are inspired by rejection and put forth an even greater effort. Thomas Alva Edison, the famous inventor, when asked about his many failed attempts to produce a working light bulb responded by saying: "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." |
||
"Sometimes you just gotta do whatever it is you do long enough..." There may not be anything wrong about what you're working to achieve. In fact, you may be on exactly the right path. However, time is required to prepare and mature the world around you to eventually receive and welcome what you can already see in your mind's eye, even though it's not a physical reality yet.
Passion will keep you going until you finally get the long desired thumbs up that your cause deserves. Edison pointed it out like this: "Many of life's failures are men who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."
(2) The Real You
Passion will bring out the real you, for better or for worse. So tell me, what does a passionate person look like? Answer: Vibrant!
It usually is easier to love and adore someone that's passionate about something. They're even easier to communicate with, because they'll tend to have strong opinions. Their passion makes them come alive and it highlights how they are unique. Passion accentuates the talent inside people. Passion ignites their capacities in such a way that eyes start glowing and facial expressions display what can no longer be kept silently inside.
At this time we should also point out how Passion effectively drives away fear. Fear of being different, fear of being alone, fear of failure and maybe even the fear of fear itself, too.
(3) Spreading Effect
Passion triggers feelings in the people around us. We all know that passion or enthusiasm has the tendency to be contagious. However, let's remember that passion is much more than merely enthusiasm. We so easily think of passion as being "happiness". Passion is not a fast paced happy individual per se.
For instance, a passionate software developer does not necessarily move so much as a muscle and an officer in command may not be typified by a smiley face in the middle of a battle. Passion is energy that we can sense, but it reaches us in different ways. What we can be sure about is that (real) passion can be spotted in the surroundings of passionate people.
So what?
Would you like to be unstoppable? (Maybe not when it comes to being flat out stubborn. However, that's not what we're talking about here.) Would you like to become your best self? Would you like to have a positive effect on the people around you - excite them to action? I dare you: Find Passion and so many of your current challenges will slowly evaporate!
Regardless of what project you're in and no matter what your purpose or task might be, sooner or later we always end up asking ourselves: "Things are not going too well... what can I do to improve?"
I believe there are at least three basic questions we can always come back to and greatly benefit from. In my experience, every time I explore these three areas I reach new levels of understanding and conviction.
So what?
Passion, Connection and Intuition each lead to three distinct levels of conviction. Passion leads to inner conviction. Connection leads to shared conviction and Intuition leads to discovered conviction. Here are three suggestions to how this can be applied - right now - today:
- Increase passion by thinking
- read inspiring literature - discover WHAT
- then... take time to reflect and explore
- then... take notes
- then... make commitments and execute
- Strengthen connection by interacting
- spend time with inspiring people - discover WHO
- then... take time to listen
- then... take notes
- then... make commitments and execute
- Follow intuition by leaving your comfort zone
- seek inspiring challenges and environments - discover HOW
- then... look for opportunities
- then... be flexible and accept the speed of the moment
And the best thing is, pick whichever area you'd like to start with. There is, however, a principle based order to these energies, as you've probably noticed: 1) ignite yourself, 2) ignite others and 3) ignite your surroundings. Try to cheat the order of this and you'll find you're up against a headwind. If you apply yourself to the process, you'll see, wind will start blowing your way.
Whether you're a father, a friend, a boss, teacher, coach or even a lowly servant by formal definition, you're always serving and you cannot effectively do so unless you win the hearts of the people you are trying to reach.
|
During our life we fill many different roles. Regardless of which role, in every setting we deal with other people. In fact, a role is exactly about just that: "Who am I in relation to you"? (See also Wikipedia to further explore the meaning of a "role".)
|
You've heard it before... the old adage "I don't care how much you know until I know how much you care" sums it up. And even though it's that basic, even though it's common sense, unfortunately it's not common practise. Too many of us are consumed by our own agenda. This time, decide to make that basic change. Don't just read this. Make it happen!
Passion
Well, here's a challenge you will appreciate, and I will turn it into a conditional promise: You cannot win another's heart until your own heart is right. And a heart that is right is open to the vibes of another.
Connection
And what does this mean in practical daily living? Next time you're with another person bring yourself to really look that person in the eye. Then ask yourself, what does this person really want? If you feel uncertain you may even want to ask them.
Intuition
Thoughts will come to your mind - ideas will flow. Then, it's time to act, to reap the fruits of inspiration: Do whatever it takes to give it to them. And remember, the higher the cost and personal sacrifice it requires, the better it feels - for both of you.
And it's not just smart. It's life!
Today I'll share with you what seems to become the introduction to 3E:
Every single one of us has capacities beyond what we are aware of. Even talent and power beyond our wildest dreams. We are living receivers, bearers and channels of enormous amounts of energy. Do you believe that’s relevant to individual and team performance? Is it relevant to quality of life? It certainly is. Energy makes all the difference.
|
Sometimes we are placed in situations or circumstances in which we may get a glimpse of this energy. But most of our lives we hardly draw on any of those unique powers. I say hardly, but that's not entirely true. We actually make use of them all the time, but only in minor proportions to the amount of 0,1 % or much less. Yet, sometimes in brief moments we might experience pure magic.
|
||||||||||||||
Maybe the most obvious moments are when we're under extreme pressure or have to fight for our life caused by sudden danger. It is well documented that almost everything we do can in fact be multiplied by a factor of hundreds, thousands or even hundreds of thousands when we must or when motivation is focused and channeled in the same and right direction.
This book is about that power which is built into our very system as human beings. It is about what some would refer to as "being in the zone". It is about how both we ourselves and the world around us instantly can change to dramatically perform at levels we normally perceive to be impossible.
I don't expect every reader to understand what I'm going to share, but I do know - from experience - that if you want to understand I can show you on a practical level what is required to seriously increase the frequency of what people perceive as coincidence. To some, success may seem like coincidence, but when you look behind what happened you’ll always find that special ingredient - energy.
Do you want to know what's missing when things don't quite work out as you'd like it to? There's probably a number of important issues, but in my experience, energy is always among them. And believe me, it sure doesn't hurt to have a little more of it.
"Time is money"! Says who? If it's just money, then time sure isn't worth much, is it!? That kind of thinking, such a poor paradigm, will not produce the results you have it inside you to deliver.
|
Time is not only money. Time is the stuff that allows you to make a difference.
|
||||||
The first principle of influence or selling is POSITION. I often summarize the principle of position with two words: "It's Thursday!" What's position..? It's Thursday! If you haven't heard me explain it during training, here's it is.
|
Your position in any sale is where it all starts, pluss it's what affects everything else. Think of it as a question to a customer about what he or she thinks of you and your offer. If you skip all the beating around the bush, every customer always has a very clear opinion of both you as a person and your offer, at any given time. You better believe it. You may not get it out of them, but they have one. Their perception of you and your offer, that's your position with them. If you hypnotized them they'd give it to you, loud and clear. | |||||||||
To illustrate. If someone were to ask me what day it is, I'd be able to respond promptly: "It's Thursday". No discussion. End of story. It's finite. Accepted. Taken for granted.
Is it a fact, though? Sure, it's a fact; it's Thursday. A relative fact, maybe..? What?! Well, what if the majority of the world's populace just decided to make it Friday? Hypothetically speaking, it's possible... But highly unlikely, don't you think? That's how position works, how position appears. It easily seems as though nothing can be done about it.
Position is the first principle of sales success. Position is perception of relative facts. "It's Thursday" is a relative fact. OK, it's an extreme example, but it's still relative. The principle of position as perception of relative facts teaches us a load of things. Maybe the first most obvious lesson is this:
(1) Your position will either work for or against you
So many times I do training and dig into specific business cases with sales people. Every time a sales team starts discussing real customer cases there's a number of recognizable characteristics in individuals that come to the surface. They reveal the differences between high and OK performers specifically related to the principle of position:
High Performers |
OK Performers |
| Understand the importance of a good position | Underestimate the power of position |
| At all times, are aware of their own position | Are unaware of their position |
| Are able to see what factors influences that position | See nothing but reasons why position is fixed and determined |
| Have confidence they can improve their position | Possess little faith in themselves and that position can be changed |
| Are unwilling to accept an unecessary poor position | Believe position is decided by fate |
| Plan and proactively spend their strength improving position | Go about traditional selling hoping circumstances will change |
| Have the wisdom to adapt to a poor position | Are unable to work around poor position |
You can see how one quality leads to the other, as these traits are listed almost in successive order. A second lesson that follows the first is:
(2) Change the position itself or you adapt to it
"It's Thursday" as an example of POSITION also illustrates how positions in fact regularly change, we just need to be there when it happens. Either you change the position itself or you adapt to it. If you were to ask me again tomorrow, I'd say "it's Friday". Of course, you say. Well then, why don't you stay at it until you win that way. Almost always, I repeat, almost always, there are ways to change or improve your position, i.e. the way the customer perceives the facts about you and your offer. Typical positions we can influence are:
- a bad or malfunctioning product
- a poor brand or reputation
- a market in recession or tight budgets
- incompetent management, mine or yours
- a failed relationship with a customer or vendor
These are just examples. Now, today, consider your most important sale, right now. Ask yourself what your position is. If you're not sure you're in a better position than your competition (and competition is not just other companies, but every factor that competes with you getting the contract) then look closely at what can be done. You'll find there's always something.
I'm telling you, you can decide to be a high performer if you're willing to do what it takes to improve your position. You do this by either "working around the fact that it's Thursday or changing the relative fact that it's Thursday". Either way you can win!
Communication can be powerful if you do it the right way. The wonderful thing is that "the right way" varies with each individual. Our research indicates that as long as key principles are intact the style with which you apply them is completely up to you.
|
To help appreciate the power of The 3 Energies (Passion, Connection, Intuition) at this time we'll share with you three different scenarios.
|
||||||||||||||||||
Scenario # 1: LIFE
Imagine that you are visiting a new potential customer. You're in a comfortable office in the top floor of a prominent skyscraper. Everything is going very well and you're currently seated doing small-talk with the CEO of the company. She is approximately your age. The setting is very promising. As you move through the preliminaries of the meeting the conversation takes an unexpected turn. From what is being said you suddenly realize that the person on the other side of the table will die by the end of the day unless you help her with your product and service.
What is your immediate reaction? How does this affect you and your style? What happens inside of you? How does it show on the outside? What becomes your primary concern? Is there a shift in balance? How would you describe the feelings you have? What kind of energy are you experiencing?
Scenario # 2: FAMILY
We continue where we left off in "The LIFE Scenario". As your conversation becomes more intense another unexpected piece of information surfaces. You both discover you're family. This distinguished lady is in fact your twin sister. The two of you were separated at birth and you didn't know.
Now, what is your immediate reaction? How does this affect your interaction? What happens with your relationship? How does it show? What becomes your primary concern? Is there a shift in balance? How would you describe the feelings you have? What kind of energy are you experiencing?
Scenario #3: ECOSYSTEM
...but there's more to come. You've just had an incredible experience in "The FAMILY Scenario". While you are speaking yet another surprise hits both of you. The building starts shaking and you realize that you're in the middle of a serious earthquake. Even though the building does not collaps, you're both strikken with fear of a devastating catastrophe.
Again, what is your immediate reaction? What happens with your interaction? What do you do? What becomes your primary concern? Is there a shift in balance? How would you describe the feelings you have? What kind of energy are you experiencing?
These three scenarios each illustrate the essence of what The 3 Energies are about, respectively Passion, Connection and Intuition. Next time I'll comment on each and how they enable energation. Energation is the setting - the atmosphere - where all three paradigm shifts are taking place.
Successful selling is about three breakthroughs that each unleash a specific type of energy. What are these energies and how do we unleash them?
|
|
|
We call them root route fruit, being respectively 1) the root structure and then 2) the route to 3) the fruit. Each one of these is most successful when going one-on-one. Root, route and fruit each deserve separate training and attention, but at this time, let's cut to the chase and extract the essence only - a summary so short it's almost impossible to explain with fewer words.
RootOur number one mission is strategic positioning, which figuratively speaking is "growing the root structure". That sounds great, but what does it mean? It means answering the WHAT questions. When we breakthrough with answers to WHAT we create context and experience inner conviction that unleashes the first energy we call Passion. Passion represents gasping for air and getting it (see bullet # 1 listed above) and maybe most of all clear and solid identity. |
|
RouteMission leads to strategy. Our number one strategy is a network of trusting relationships, which figuratively speaking is "branching out like a tree". That sounds great, but what does it mean? It means seriously asking the WHO questions. When we breakthrough with answers to WHO we stir feelings and experience shared conviction that unleashes the second energy we call Connection. Connection represents reaching your highest potential (see bullet # 2 listed above). Potential is directly linked to your success with other people. |
|
FruitStrategy leads to network. Our number one way to network is consistently practicing technique and tactics, which figuratively speaking is "maturing and becoming fruitful". That sounds great, however, again what does it mean? It means working with the HOW questions. When we breakthrough with answers to HOW we identify technique and experience discovered conviction that unleashes the third energy we call Intuition. Intuition represents seeing the ultimate fruits of your effort (see bullet # 3 listed above), but more than that individual talent will surface. |
|
A generic model for every perspective
Root, route and fruit is an allegory to explain 3E, which can be applied in every single setting. 3E is easily applied in both macro and micro perspectives, that is e.g. sales management (macro) or daily selling activities (micro). We can also apply 3E for internal or external activities. 3E also effectively enhances both organizational and personal improvement programs.
And here comes my personal highlight: After two long years we're finally ready to publish my next blogpost. Coming up next are the three scenarios that clarify the exceptional power of the methodical 3E approach to energy based selling. It will become clear what this really is all about. Yes, you may expect some of the best stuff you ever saw when it comes to sales theory!
Here's an overview of what we just covered in a simple matrix:
|
Management and their sales people measure success mostly in monetary value. Of course, this is the main driver behind corporate sales activity. However, getting the money alone is a misplaced focus and will inevitably represent long term failure if you don't keep in mind the other five measurements of sales success.
Keeping track of results is everything!
Why don't we say it again. Keeping track of progress and results is everything! Whatever we measure receives attention. So what are we to measure and keep track of?
Personally I'm a fan of several programs, among others The 4 Disciplines of Execution by Franklin Covey. It introduces you to how we facilitate execution in individuals and teams. However, in generic terms, what is it we seek to accomplish?
|
There are many ways to measure success, but we've found the most effective perspectives to be individual and organizational. That's both to keep it simple and focused on daily and weekly measurables.
Individual success
The perspective of individual progress is based on The 3 Energies (3E) Passion, Connection and Intuition. Looking at each individual they become:
- Personal insight (mission statement and goals)
- Improved balance (planning and personal considerations)
- Sharpened skills (empirical data based on observation and recordings)
Organizational success
The perspective of organizational or team progress is also based on The 3 Energies (3E) Passion, Connection and Intuition. Considering results from an organizational view they become:
- A better position and reputation (Key Performance Indicators - KPI's)
- An improved relationship with key people (CRM and personal considerations)
- Sales numbers (budget compared to actual numbers)
Measuring results is crucial, but measuring poorly or ad-hoc tends to demotivate individuals and teams. It can in fact hurt more than do good. The first steps of sales success is deciding WHAT to measure, WHO to measure, HOW to measure and then stick to it.
Add comment