A Guide to Get Back on Track in 2021

From CEO leadership lessons to posts from industry experts; everyone has a plan for you. Sage advice seldom comes from the trenches. Big picture business strategy and thoughts from 10,000 feet can help get the ball rolling, but some times we need to hear from our peers.

I’ve been in Business Development in Silicon Valley for 20 years. Far before COVID-19 changed our working lives, each day brought it’s own struggles. When you are in sales you fight for your job every day. The competitive element is the tip of the capitalist sword. The ethos for motivation is pretty simple: sell something or you’re fired. There is data driven methodology to every part of the process and results are gospel.

The great grind that is the sales trade puts little emphasis on mental health. “If you don’t want to get rich, try another trade” say a million sales leaders a day. Revenue moves the world and sales professionals are on the front line. As COVID-19 shut the freeways and runways where selling professionals live, a simple adaptation plan emerged:

1. We have to change the way we do things
2. You have 1 day to figure it out
3. Your feelings on the matter are of 0 consequence

The harsh reality is that the editorials, blog posts, podcasts and webinars that have brought mental health to the forefront of workforce planning don’t apply to sales people. Sales leaders may certainly engage compassion and transparency in ways they never have… but, the company isn’t going to wait around for you to get your head right.

Go Sell Something!!

Paste a quote to your monitor and crank up your new espresso machine. Here are a few tips from the trenches that might actually help you exist mindfully in the fast lane.

The First/Last Rule

I remember interviewing for a job at a start-up half way through my sales career. I was in an enterprise role at the time and they were essentially looking for someone to field a plethora of leads and qualify which were legit. Their CEO asked me how I was going to adapt from my current role to the job being offered. I replied, “hard work”. To which he and his (all male) sales force of twenty-somethings (literally) laughed.

I get it, you cannot jump into something that doesn’t fit your skillset and suddenly succeed by working 60 hours a week, expect that you can!

There are no hacks or short cuts. There is no sales class that will make you successful. There is no transactional flip of the switch to produce sustained success.

In all my time of work there is one certain truth: If you are the first to show up and the last to leave, you will be successful. It takes the ability to learn from the hours put it and the willingness to fail. But, I’ve never met anyone who put quality work in for an extended period of time that did not find success.

The following technology and/or training will help you master hard work…. (hint: there are none)

Always Be Available

The second key to success from the trenches is: Responsiveness

You have a device in your hand through which people will ask for your assistance. Reply to them immediately even if you don’t have an answer. It’s as easy and as difficult as that. Win over people’s confidence by ALWAYS being available. The difficulty is always being available. At 5am or 10pm.

In business, making progress takes buy in from multiple sources. If there is uncertainty in your ability to handle to responsibility, failure is certain! All you have to let them know is that you got this…. and then prove that you do.

Acknowledge Healthy Stress

The current world is riddled with isolation and elevated expectations. We’ve been called upon to act as teachers, cooks and psychologists all while straddling our unchanged workload. We can all use a little mental health support. We cannot, however, allow isolation to silo us.

I am not a fan of staying up all night fretting over missed commitments. Regardless if you are at the top or bottom of the ranking report, a little stress is necessary. You have to have a fire lit beneath you at all times.

Resting on one’s professional stability is a path to failure. We cannot count unhatched chickens or put all of our eggs in one basket. Don’t allow yourself to get comfortable.

Introversion First

I’m always suspect of people who talk too much. Having been in a spot of professional struggle myself, I often called upon those who I was sure would validate my excuses to put time between myself and responsibility. I talked to people in the office, at conferences, at company events and over the phone. All talk, no action!

There is no such thing as the gift of gab. People who talk too much only impress those without relevant questions.

Those who truly impress are those who have spent hours carefully planning each word in silence. Considering every angle of questioning and relaying experience is far more important than having a knee jerk response to every question posed.

Contrary to popular belief, sales is about listening, not talking!

Winning Is The Last Part

Another job interview some ten years ago began with me running through the highlights of my sales career espousing my unquenchable thirst for competition. The SVP of sales walked back the conversation telling me that he appreciated my drive but in his company “everybody wins”. Fortunately, he gave me a second opportunity to address his questions.

The business world is competitive. We have other companies in our space, the market fluctuates and customers are increasingly demanding. The last thing we need to do is create competition where it is not warranted.

The “win at all cost” way of thinking simply doesn’t work any more. Competition has been replaced with collaboration. We’ve come to find out that the only way companies succeed is through sharing a common purpose with the intent of inspiring meaningful change.

Micro-Management is dead and rule by intimidation fails to produce sustainable results.

Winning is the intent of any professional on a daily basis but the rules of the game have changed. Putting money first or taking short cuts to win trophies will only fool people for a short time. Everyone who bullies people into results or bends to rules to produce revenue ends up regretting their lack of human connection. The only way to success is to believe in your purpose to the extent that you know sharing it will evolve the world.

Times are strange. The world is at odds, disease is rampant and each day presents its own set of challenges. Don’t make it more difficult on yourself by pretending a job is just a job.

If in any day you wake up uninspired walk through the challenges that got you here. If you cannot identify a divine purpose in the work you are doing it may be time to re-evaluate.

You’ll spend roughly 100,000 hours of your life at work. Don’t waste another hour pretending that your professional existence doesn’t make a difference to the world.

• Dave