| About 6 months ago, I started taking lessons in a | | | | complex, but I am beginning to recognize they |
| couple of martial arts, Tai Chi and Kung Fu. It's | | | | are built from a small number of basic moves-the |
| been a tremendously interesting and frustrating | | | | complex moves come from fluidly connecting a |
| experience. Progress seems very slow, I feel as | | | | number of the basic moves together. They must |
| though I am still in the "Wax-On, Wax-Off | | | | be linked in the right order and executed |
| David-san" stage. Can't wait to get to the painting | | | | flawlessly to have the desired effect. Everyone in |
| the fence part. | | | | my classes, from the instructor, through the |
| A few things have really struck me (pardon the | | | | most experienced, down to me practice the |
| pun) through the lessons. They strike me as | | | | fundamentals. Likewise in sales, we further we |
| important lessons to apply to sales-and indeed | | | | get away from the fundamentals, the less |
| many aspects of business. | | | | effective we are. There are a few basics in high |
| Being in the moment: I've learned to clear my | | | | performance selling. Executing these flawlessly, |
| mind, focusing on being the moment. The | | | | seamlessly and quickly are critical to success. |
| moment I waiver even just a bit, everything | | | | Regardless of how experienced, top performers |
| crumbles. Often, as we go through our exercises, | | | | always practice and master the fundamentals of |
| I start to think about what's next, my attention | | | | professional selling. |
| to what is happening in the moment is lost. | | | | Sharpness of execution can beat size and |
| Inevitably, I find myself losing my way in the | | | | strength: I watched a sparring match between a |
| exercise, exposing myself to my opponent, | | | | young lady, barely 5 feet tall, with a guy over 6 |
| getting myself off balance. I see the same thing | | | | feet and about 200 pounds. You know the story, |
| happening in sales. To often, we are not focused | | | | she beat him soundly. Her form and technique |
| on the moment, but thinking of what's next. It's | | | | were better than her opponent's. While he was |
| particularly critical to be in the moment in talking | | | | bigger and stronger, her superior execution |
| to customers, it's our opportunity to learn, | | | | enabled her to beat her opponent. The same |
| understand and really engage. If we are not with | | | | seems to apply in sales, superior execution |
| our customers, in the moment, we miss cues and | | | | trumps size and strength. |
| opportunities. If we constantly are thinking about | | | | Economy of motion: Watching my Sifu perform is |
| what's next, we really don't understand. Like an | | | | a thing of beauty. There is never a wasted |
| opponent in martial arts, the customer can see | | | | motion, he moves from step to step fluidly, |
| that we are not with them. | | | | seemingly effortlessly. He knows how to achieve |
| The importance of balance: Balance seems to be | | | | his goal with no wasted steps or motions. Top |
| one of the most critical things. We all know that in | | | | performing sales people are similar. There is an |
| the martial arts, your opponent tries to get us off | | | | economy of motion and actions, no wasted |
| balance. But what I've found, is that it is very | | | | efforts, no aimless wandering through the sales |
| easy to get off balance all by myself. Being | | | | process, no purposeless meetings. Top |
| distracted, not being in the moment, not having | | | | performers know how to achieve their goal |
| sound fundamentals, not moving fluidly, all sorts of | | | | without wasting time their or their customers' |
| things contribute to throwing ourselves off | | | | time. |
| balance. The same applies in sales. Our competition | | | | There's a lot more that I am seeing in my lessons |
| and sometimes customers throw us off balance. | | | | in martial arts. Underlying philosophy, how you |
| However, more often, I think we throw ourselves | | | | think, flexibility, adaptability all seem to be |
| off balance. We do not have a plan, we aren't | | | | elements that separate the masters from the |
| prepared, we shoot from the lip, we don't | | | | novices. While I have a long way to go in my |
| execute the fundamentals, we don't listen, we | | | | lessons, I am learning a lot that makes me a |
| make flawed assumptions, we don't understand | | | | higher performing sales professional. |
| our customers, their industries, we don't | | | | I'd be interested in the views of readers much |
| understand our companies or our products. There | | | | more experienced in the martial arts. How do you |
| are so many things that can throw us off balance | | | | apply those lessons to business, leadership, and |
| in business, we always have to fight those, but | | | | professional sales? |
| until we are in balance ourselves, we cannot | | | | I'm off to do my exercises, wax on, wax off, |
| perform as effectively as possible. | | | | wax on....... |
| Mastery of the fundamentals: Moves can be very | | | | |