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The playoff series of any sports are fun for me to watch. One year I watched the Dallas Stars play the Colorado Avalanche. In game two of the Stanley Cup playoff, the Stars were down 3-0 after the first period. In the second period, the Stars scored 4 goals to go ahead. During the break, Stars player, Brenden Morrow, was asked what was going on with the team and why they bounced back so strongly. He said that in the first period they had been afraid to lose and not playing to win. So during the first break they must have done some regrouping because they came out in the second period playing to win. Unfortunately for the Stars, they lost in overtime.
Are you playing like you are afraid to lose your sales game? Or are you playing to win? Whether you are in sales or another type of job, you can use these principles to improve your results. After reading the lists below determine if you are Afraid to Lose or Playing to Win:
Afraid to Lose:
· Being hesitant about sales activities and tasks because you are afraid to lose
· Not having enough prospects
· Finding other things that “have” to be done instead of making your sales calls
· Procrastination
· Calling on accounts that are too small
· No system to monitor and manage your results
· Depending too heavily on the accounts you have
· Complaining about what is happening or not happening
Playing to Win:
· Planning and organizing your day around your sales calls and appointments
· Starting early; knowing your plan for the day before you get to the office
· Following a process and documenting your notes and follow-up dates
· Researching and understanding your target market
· Knowing where you add unique value to the sales process
· Measuring and monitoring your results
· Constantly studying and improving your sales game
Focusing your attention on the Play to Win strategies will improve your results and your attitude. You’ll be much more focused and confident with the Play to Win strategies.
© copyright 2009, Kathy Garland, all rights reserved.
Kathy Garland is a transformational leader who improves the personal power of women leaders through branding, client acquisition and creating focus for the future. She is a radio show host for The Leader in You, a Diva Toolbox Radio Show and a featured columnist on Empowering Women for McKinney Woman.
On Saturdays, all belt levels in my Haidong Gumdo program show up for practice. Last Saturday, I was the total new kid on the block with many experienced people in the class. I could choose to sit back and watch or do the best I could to keep up.Of course, I stayed and kept up for the most part, but then the group went beyond the exercises and forms I knew. As I stumbled to keep up, they were patient and supportive. At one point I asked if I was the slowest ever to learn a particular move. They said, “We didn’t learn this till we were orange belts (2 levels above me.)
You see, I was trying to keep up with people three, four and five levels ahead. The good news here is that by being with people who have higher skills and proficiency than me, I learn more and faster. Part of the class for all students is to lead one of the exercises, which involves knowing the name of the exercise (in Korean) and counting to 10 (in Korean) as well as knowing the particular moves of the exercise. I didn’t expect to be asked to lead an exercise, so did my best with help from the class. However, since then, I have really stepped up my effort to learn these things. I have now mastered counting to ten in Korean. It’s a small victory, but hey, I’m counting everything!
In addition, I’ve started spending more time outside of class learning the forms, the language and the exercises. I want to move up and really I want to be less obvious that I’m such a beginner! If I hadn’t gone to that class with so many people at higher belt levels, I wouldn’t be pushing myself as much.
When you want to grow and expand your skills, thinking and success, it’s a good idea to hang out with people who are further along on their path than you. It takes a little confidence and courage on your part and you will be so glad you did.
© copyright 2009, Kathy Garland, all rights reserved.
Kathy Garland is a transformational leader who improves the personal power of women leaders through branding, client acquisition and creating focus for the future. She is a radio show host for The Leader in You, a Diva Toolbox Radio Show and a featured columnist on Empowering Women for McKinney Woman.