Right Action asks all of us to focus on how we conduct our everyday business. Our sales career is the ultimate art form and we are the creators. Any good business plan, career plan or sales plan should have a Vision, Mission, Strategy and Tactics. The plan sets forth a big picture goal (Vision) done by accomplishing something (Mission) in this way (Strategy) by doing this (Tactics) every day. A mentor of mine taught me that “You never get paid for the work that you do today.” Right Actions are the activities done on a daily basis that support the greater plan. The blocking and tackling, the execution that make plans successful. Activity drives results.
Additionally, a clear perspective on Right Action teaches us that our actions are like karmic seeds. When we behave positively we get positive results. If we hurt others, we hurt ourselves. Helping others serves ourselves. Give more than you take.
Finally, do. There is nothing such as a perfect plan so get to a point where you can stop planning and start doing. Generate positive momentum and don't be afraid to make mistakes. A body in motion has the tendency to stay in motion. Get your body in motion.
Derek Jeter takes grounders and batting practice every day
New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter won the Rookie of the Year Award and helped the Yankees win the 1996 World Series. Jeter was also a member of championship-winning teams in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2009. In 2000, Jeter became the only player in history to win both the All-Star Game MVP Award and the World Series MVP Award in the same year. He has been selected as an All-Star eleven times, won the Silver Slugger award four times, and he has won the Gold Glove award on five occasions. He is the all-time hits leader among shortstops and his .317 career batting average through the 2009 season ranks as the fifth-highest among active players. He has been among the American League (AL) leaders in hits and runs scored for the past ten years. He is the all-time Yankees hit leader, having passed Hall of Fame member Lou Gehrig in 2009.
Derek Jeter gets to the ballpark and practices taking ground balls and participates in batting practice every day. Do you? Do you practice your presentation consistently? Are you doing the little things every day that contribute to grand success? Derek Jeter does. I find that the hardest call to make is the first one. The best call is usually the last one – so make another one.
You Manage What You Measure
You manage what you measure. Tactics and activities that are not measured are wasted activities. On a positive note, not measuring your activities such as calls made, emails made, social media followers, meetings set/held, proposals out, etc. does not give you the positive reinforcement that what you are doing is ultimately working. Measuring what you do also allows you to optimize your actions and focus on what works best.
Don't Take Wasn't isn't Freely Given – Give to Others
You work and live in an industry and market that is a lot smaller than you think. You competitor today is your partner tomorrow. The prospect that rejected you today is your reference in the future. Help everyone. Be a servant to others and they will serve you (or at least you will be served). Think of every contact you make as part of your environment and by strengthening your environment, you make the soil in the garden you grow that much more fertile. Be a consultant to your coworkers, clients, prospects (even if you are consulting them on things unrelated to your sale and product) and industry partners. I promise you that karma will repay you.
Be careful about accepting gifts from others. Give more than you accept. When going to a client's/prospect's meeting place I don't accept the water/soda, etc. that I am inevitably offered. Be prepared, be centered and self contained. You are at the meeting to give to them. Be strong within your foundation and be ready to give to them.
Just Do It
The definition of an expert is someone who has made all the mistakes that there are to make. When one aged Zen master was asked to relate his biography, he exclaimed, “Just one mistake after another!”
As we think about our actions we can't help but reflect on our mistakes. All the things that we wish we could undo; we all have regrets. Each mistake is a learned opportunity. A mistake not made is a mistake waiting to happen.
My blog is terrible. I don't have the reach to get it out to enough people and the content is not good enough to warrant anyone sharing it with their network – ever. I am making mistakes. I will get better. I will stick with it, regret what I am doing today and over analyze my mistakes so that I don't make them again. What I am doing right is that I am doing it and if I don't do it I won't get any better.
Embrace mistakes and endeavor to make them. Conquer the paralysis by analysis by getting out there and doing. As Wayne Gretzky once said, “You never score on 100% of the shots you never take.” If your Vision, Mission, and Strategy are in place then concentrate on you actions to reach your success.
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