Creating Unlimited Belief for Success!

What's holding your team back from experiencing "breakout performance"?

It may be those Old beliefs and Personal Insecurities. (aka: conceptual barriers)

Conceptual barriers are the barriers that are right behind the eyes, DEEP within the brain. "Beliefs" which were planted at a very young age and re-enforced over a long period of time - which is why they are so hard to "dislodge".

Use the following exercise to help your team members identify their limiting beliefs and feelings. Then explain how those beliefs and feelings directly impact (positively and negatively) their bottom-line results.

Before we proceed, keep the following quote in mind - it's a powerful reminder of why it is so important to complete sales management activities.

"Successful people DO, what unsuccessful people
are not willing to do." ? Unknown

Here are the Four Steps to Overcome Conceptual Barriers:

Step One - Uncover Negative Self-Talk

Ask the employee to tell you what he or she "least" enjoys about each step of the sales management process. Follow up by asking how that particular aspect of the process makes the employee feel.

For example:

- Prospecting/Cold Calling - (feels like I am intruding)
- Asking for the Business - (feels like I am being pushy)
- Cross-Selling/Up-Selling - (feels like I am taking advantage)
- Assumptive Closing - (feels like I am being presumptuous)

Step Two - Identify Beliefs that are the root source of negative feelings toward sales management practices.

Go back to our prior examples of Old Beliefs that get in the way of our progress in the sales management process:

- Don't talk to strangers
- It is impolite to talk about money
- Never interrupt important people
- Wait to be asked

Help the employee understand and be aware of why it is that they may feel the way they do.

Employees should understand that they feel the way they do for a reason. Once they understand this it can be much easier for them to make a decision to overcome their old belief(s).

Step Three - Turn Limiting Beliefs into Unlimited Possibility!

Illustrate the following to your employee so they can clearly see how their beliefs and feelings ultimately "pre-determine" their outcome.

On one hand:

Positive Beliefs » Positive Feelings » Actions » Positive Results

And on the other hand:

Limiting Beliefs » Negative Feelings » Inaction » Negative Results

So based on the preceding, it's obvious which hand offers the most value - correct?

Step Four - CHOOSE a path together!

Obviously, if an employee is unwilling to work to overcome conceptual barriers, then you should agree that a sales position is not the right fit.

You should either find a more suitable role for the person, or part ways so he/she may pursue a more rewarding opportunity somewhere else.

Let's assume however that the employee seeks to overcome their conceptual barriers and is willing to take ownership of their plan for improvement.

As the leader, you have an important role to play in your employee overcoming their limiting beliefs. You are responsible for supporting the employee in three key areas. Once again, they are:

- TEACH - lead by example, reinforce positive actions and behaviors

- COACH - help to improve technique, debrief progress, track results, ensure employee stays on task

- EXPECT - inspect what you expect, hold yourself and your employee accountable for continued improvement and increased results.

In conclusion, ask yourself the following question.

Can you name one person who is a top performer that:

- believed he wouldn't be successful?
- feels she shouldn't be successful?
- does not take the actions necessary for her to become successful?

The answer to each question? "Of course not!" Right?

So by default we must agree that in order for anyone to be successful, he/she must understand what is holding him or her back.

Then, she must be willing to work to overcome obstacles, and choose to proactively follow a corrective action plan.

Finally, he must "execute" the plan.

Through this process he will build new beliefs that will enable him to discard that old and tired, limiting belief.

Richard Gorham is the founder and President of Leadership-Tools, Inc. His web site, http://www.leadership-tools.com is dedicated to providing free tools and resources for today's aspiring leaders. Offering high-quality tools in the areas of Business Planning, Leadership Development, Customer Service, Sales Management and Team Building.

---

Precious Moments

There is too much learning out there that we earn drop by drop as we go through experiences in life. There is one of the experiences that... Read More

Four Obstacles to Exceptional Leadership--Part 1

"Most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of cowering before them, we should make up our minds to walk boldly through them." -- Orison Swett... Read More

Leadership Skills and Ability

What is true Leadership.Is leadership something we are born with or is it learned.My belief is that there are some natural leaders but many leadership skills are... Read More

Being Other Focused

In the Wall Street Journal, Franklin Lavin, U.S. Ambassabor to Singapore wrote the Manager's Journal column about some of the things he learned from the late President... Read More

Two Vital Abilities Any Leader Must Have

As a business owner, you are a leader whether you like it or not. Whether you like it or not you have to guide your group in... Read More

Transformational Leadership

"What is leadership?" When this question is asked most of the people answer "leadership is the capacity or an ability of a person to lead". Earlier theories... Read More

The Leadership Vacuum

In today's fast moving, ever changing, and highly competitive world there is a vacuum of leadership. More than ever our government, businesses, religious organizations, and our educational... Read More

5 Steps on How to Set and Achieve Your Goals

Which one is a goal? I will lose 15 pounds I want to run a marathon Quit smoking All of the above None of... Read More

Characteristics of a Good Leader

It's interesting to hear the responses from executives when I ask them, "What are the characteristics of a good Leader?"If I ask that question in a large... Read More

Steps to Becoming a Good Leader

STEPS TO BECOMING A GOOD LEADER: 1. Develop a master plan. What are your goals? What are the organization's goals? How are you going to reach them?... Read More

The Flexible Leadership Workshop

The Leadership ChallengeLeaders in today's society are faced with an increasingly complex challenge: To deliver business results in the face of rapidly changing conditions, while building team... Read More

Are You a Good Manager or a Great Leader?

Your word is your truth - Know that when you speak, you will fulfill your promise to others and others will know they can depend on you.... Read More

To be, or Not to be (Average)?

When is hate OK? When it's the feeling you have toward average. Let me make this point clearly and without reservation. I hate average!What is average? My... Read More

Two Leadership Traps: How To Get Out Of Them and How To Avoid Them (Part 1)

You've heard of the Peter Principle: "People are promoted to their level of ultimate incompetence". But what the Peter Principle doesn't tell you is the nature of... Read More

The Six Essential Leadership Attributes

Leadership is the foundation for all organizations, whether corporate, nonprofit or government. Leadership is a high calling and responsibility, upon which all else the organization is or... Read More

Leadership, Self-Development, and the Committment to Growth

There is a common phrase that says: "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." I know that most of us have heard it. The problem is... Read More

The Four Laws Of Leadership (Part Two)

In Part One, I described the laws of motivation. In Part Two, I'll examine the laws in more detail.Law 1. Motivation is physical action. Motivation isn't about... Read More

5 Human Capital Asset Enrichment Strategies for Leaders!

Here's a really simple way to think about the ins and outs, the doing and practice or attitudes and behaviors of being a leader.Many times I get... Read More

The Seven Mistakes to Avoid when Organising Your Student Leadership Program

How do you measure the success of a training or teaching program? There are many measures you can use including; focusing on learning outcomes, behavioural change, student... Read More

Ten Characteristics of Leadership

Many people are interested in the characteristics of a great leader. There are many lists of these traits. These are quotes taken from an article by Bill... Read More

What is Leadership?

Leadership is what every organization needs and so few have in adequate supply. Part of leadership is what the first President Bush called "the vision thing". It's... Read More

Five Steps Towards Greater Self Confidence

We watch the star athlete calmly make the final shot, score the winning goal, or lead his team for a touchdown in the final minute of the... Read More

Asking for Help

For many of us, asking for help is a difficult concept. It can require a certain amount of vulnerability. We may feel as if we are admitting... Read More

Leadership For Deep Results: Without Them Are You Wasting Your Leadership And Your Life? (Part One)

I've challenged all leaders I have worked with during the past two decades to achieve "more results faster continually."They can get on track to start achieving such... Read More

The Challenge to Lead

The topic of leadership has been and continues to be one of the most vital topics in human history. From ancient civilizations to modern day multi-national corporations,... Read More

The Three Faces of Leadership

This article was published in the Nov. 2003 edition of Hamilton, Ontario's BIZ Magazine under the title "Leadership's Triple Crown" LMWhat does it take to be the... Read More