Velocity in Sailing and Selling

I love sailing when the wind is brisk. During a recent sailing trip, I noticed how much the wind influences the mood of everyone on the boat. During a healthy breeze, the boat slices the waves swiftly, leaving behind an impressive wake. Spirits soar, smiles appear, crew and captain enjoy the exhilarating ride. 

When the wind dies down, frowns replace the smiles, the crew starts to find fault with the weather, the boat or themselves. It seems that when the sails are full, the mind is filled with anticipation and when the sails begin to luff, spirits dampen. 

In the profession of selling, a similar phenomenon occurs. When the right wind is blowing we're rushing forward. Anticipating success, we move on to bury our competitors in a sea of bubbling whitecaps. 

It's thrilling to land a big deal and to turn around in a rush of triumph and confidence, only to top off the day with another sale. But if we lose our momentum, and if the sails slacken, we're entering the doldrums and begin to question our mission as well as our competence. 

A good sales manager's expectation acts like a swift breeze, keeping the crew humming, focused, ready for action and totally absorbed in the process of reaching the destination. Unfortunately, some salespeople need more than a swift breeze, yet others move forward on their own. It's up to the manager to find the right setting on the wind machine to deliver everything from a gentle puff to an icy blast. Sometimes a thoughtful one-on-one talk with the salesperson will keep the quota filled. At other times, an exciting incentive program or a skills building training course are needed to fill the salesperson's motivation and confidence. 

But, what if you don't have a sales manager at the wind machine? What if you are out there, facing adversity and rejection every single day? How do you create that invisible force that moves you forward against the strong tides of adversity? 

Winners create their own atmosphere. It's their mindset that regulates the internal thermostat. We're in charge of our energy, of our thoughts and goals. A winning mindset creates the invisible forces and pressures that insure forward momentum as needed. Our dreams, our search for meaning, our quest for winning, our hopes, expectations and commitments to do what it takes to win will fill the sails to move forward to success. Sales success is all about the right mindset, the right skills set and the best tool set. The mindset is the most important part since it determines our forward momentum. 

I will talk about this subject in my keynote The Mindset of Peak Performers in Denver on June 16th at Sales Velocity 2015 - hope to see you there! #SalesVelocity2015