In section one, Pink discusses what he calls the “Rebirth of a Salesman.”  In section two, discussed in this post, Pink provides a new twist to the ABC’s of selling which historically has stood for Always Be Closing, by discussing Attunement, Buoyancy and Clarity.  In section three, he discusses the way we should be selling in today’s environment – The Pitch, How to Improvise and How to Serve.

Pink provides his three abilities that matter most.

PART THREE – WHAT TO DO

7.  PITCH

Pink provides his six successors to the elevator pitch:

• 1.  The one-word pitch – Simply put – pitching one word that provides the impact or curiosity for more.
• 2.  The question pitch – Ronald Reagan campaign “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?”
• 3.  The rhyming pitch – Johnnie Cochran Simpson trial “If it doesn’t fit; you must aquit.”
• 4.  The subject line pitch – Make the subject line in your email about the reader and get a better open rate.
• 5.  The twitter pitch – Yes the twitter pitch … anything you want to say in 140 characters or less.
• 6.  The Pixar pitch – Once upon a time_____.  Every day,_____.  One day _____.  Because of that, _____.  Because of that, _____.  Until finally _____.

8.  IMPROVISE

Pink discusses the first principle of improvisation – hearing offers – depends on our ability to really hear what is being said.  He states that “we must rethink our understanding of what it is to listen and what constitutes an offer.”  He goes on to describe an exercise he took part in where one person would share some personal detail and the other had to wait fifteen seconds to respond.  Cathy Salit, the original facilitator of the test put it this way “take in anything and everything someone says as an offer you can do something with.

I think the basic idea here is that when we do a better job listening, we will have more information to improvise in providing a response instead of simply reacting to what was said.

9.  SERVE

Pink finishes off the book by comparing selling to serving.  Pink suggests that improving another’s life and, in turn, improving the world is really what it means to serve.”  Thus is you want to be a good seller, you better be a good server.  He goes on to ask the simple question … “If the person you’re selling to agrees to buy, will his or her life improve?  When your transaction is over, will the world be a better place than when you began?”

I have been guilty of using the phrase “upsell” in the past but Pink has a better word to use – “Upserve.”  He defines it as “doing more for the other person that he expects or you initially intended, taking the extra steps that that transform a mundane interaction into a memorable experience.

So by now you should realize that no matter what you do you are probably in sales. Now that you know, how do you plan on Upserving your client or customer?

Next week we will start a new series on “The Impact Equation” by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith

To Read Part One of “To Sell Is Human” click here

To Read Part Two of “To Sell Is Human” click here

Find out more about Daniel Pink and “To Sell Is Human” at  www.danpink.com

***********************************************************************

Don’t miss a single post in this series from Building What Matters by subscribing at the top left of this page. 

Help support us by clicking here and Liking our facebook page

Barry Smith   www.buildingwhatmatters.com   3/13/13            photo courtesy of Amazon

The post To Sell Is Human – Part 3, What To Do appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

I have been watching the weather channel the last few days (OK – so I am intrigued by bad weather) and there have been numerous pictures of people boarding up their windows, stocking up on generators and other supplies and thousands are being evacuated.

I always try and see a story within the story and this is no exception.  Everyone is putting all their energy into preparing for this three day event that will no doubt, change thousands of lives forever.

So here is the story.  Life is a series of storms.  We know they are coming, maybe not exactly when, but they are.  So why is everyone so active preparing for Sandy yet do little to prepare for the storms that we encounter in our everyday life.  Well it just so happens that I have a couple thoughts on that.

NO SENSE OF URGENCY

Most of us are so overwhelmed with what we have to do today and tomorrow that we don’t think much further than that.  If we can handle the things that come at us in the next few days we feel a sense of accomplishment.  Does this sound like anyone you know?  Long range planning is simply a luxury that most of us don’t put high on the priority list.  So when that storm shows up in the forecast, we scramble to do what we have to do to survive.

IT WON’T HAPPEN TO ME

Honestly after Irene hit the east coast, most residents probably felt like they had seen the worst for a while.  How is that working out?  We all say it.  The odds are with us right?  I won’t get hit by lightning.  Problem is that eventually you will – maybe not by lightning, but by something.  We simply have a false sense of security that a major catastrophe will not impact our lives.  Eventually the storm will hit and we will be smack dab in the middle of it.

I WILL JUST DEAL WITH IT WHEN IT HAPPENS

Alright, in most cases, this will probably work.  But what about when it doesn’t?  You remember that expression “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?”  There is some truth to that so I guess we just need to weigh our options (pun intended).

My thoughts and prayers go out to all that are affected over the next week as they deal with Sandy.  But there is already a lesson to be learned here and the storm has not even made land fall yet.  The fact is we will all encounter a storm like Sandy in our lives.  It might be weather related but more likely something totally unexpected like the loss of a family member or being let go at work.

We have the opportunity today to start preparing for that storm.  I will save suggestions on how to do that for another post but for now, think about what would happen if a storm hit you tomorrow.  Would you have to run to the store to buy a case of water and some batteries or do you already have them at home on the shelf?

Life is full of surprises, make some decisions today that will enable you to respond instead of react and keep some control over your own circumstances.

***********************************************************************

Don’t miss a single post from Building What Matters by subscribing at the top left of this page. 

Help support us by clicking here and Liking our facebook page

Barry Smith   www.buildingwhatmatters.com   10/25/12

The post Preparing For A Storm – What Decisions Will You Make? appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

I have coaches, mentors and accountability partners.  I also am involved in multiple mastermind groups, facilitating some and participating in others.  I know what you are thinking … what is wrong with this guy, he must really need help.

While not totally disputing that, I am doing it because I want to get better.  Not only better as a coach, but better as a person in general.  You will always accomplish more when working with another person or in a group.  You only have your perspective and trust me, you don’t know half as much as you think you do.  I don’t either!

I recently heard a list of coaching principles from one of my mentors and as I reflected on the list, I realized how this list could apply in so many ways in our lives.

1.  Self Awareness

For me, self awareness is crucial.  This is what helps me stay focused on my “why”.  If I don’t take the time to reflect on my purpose and vision and keep aligned with these I start losing focus on why I do what I do.

2.  Presence

Have you ever found yourself in a conversation and you are thinking about anything except what the other person is saying?  Being present is a way of showing respect and making the other person feel important.

3.  Listening

Hearing and listening are two completely different things.  When we truly listen, we are able to not only comprehend what is being said, but also hear was is not being said.  Sometimes the things that are not said aloud are more important than what is.

4.  Curiosity

I love this one.  One of the things that John Maxwell does every day is ask questions.  Why?  Because he wants to know the answers.  You don’t know what you don’t know, so you might want to find out what it is that you don’t know.

5.  Effective Questioning

As a coach, I am of the belief that we already have the answers within us, we simply are not asking the right questions.  Effective questioning is the best way I know of to get effective answers.  What kind of questions are you asking?

6.  Intuition

Many people think of intuition as a “gut feeling.”  I won’t necessarily disagree with that, but I would take it one step further.  Intuition is a gut feeling based on previous experience and the resulting outcomes.

So here is a great list for you to think about.  So the effective question becomes “What will you do with it?”

How can you apply one or more of these to improve your life or better yet, the life of someone else?

***********************************************************************

Don’t miss a single post from Building What Matters by subscribing at the top left of this page. 

Help support us by clicking here and Liking our facebook page

Barry Smith   www.buildingwhatmatters.com   10/6/12            photo by author

The post Does Your Coach Have A Coach? 6 Reasons Why He Should! appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

The fact is that things go wrong all the time.  Sometimes they are by our own lack of good judgment and sometimes because of things completely beyond our control.  Either way, we have to deal with it.  The question becomes “Will you respond or react?”  Did you even realize there is a difference?

When we respond, it typically involves a well thought out action with a productive outcome.  When we react, it typically involves little or no thought and produces a negative outcome.  Darren Hardy said:

“Every decision, no matter how slight, alters the trajectory of your life.”

Think back to the last time you reacted and consider how the outcome might have been different had you responded instead.  I actually witnessed the driver of this truck try and put out the fire with a towel.  Luckily for him, common sense took over sooner than later.

Here are five things you gain when responding instead of reacting:

1.  Opportunity to Delegate

I realize that part of leadership is handling problems effectively.  That doesn’t mean that we have to deal with all of them.  Delegate when you can and save your time for the things that can only be done by you.

2.  Protect Your Integrity and Character

Reacting can result in making decisions that you regret, sometimes to the extent of compromising your integrity or character.  Responding allows you the time to consider how your action will appear to others.

3.  Plan Your Action

Quite often, the solution is going to require more than just a quick fix.  If multiple steps are required to do it right, plan the work and work the plan.

4.  Ability to Solve the Problem Instead of Changing the Circumstance

This is a big one.  Many times, there are several factors that have led up to the problem.  Putting out a fire does not necessarily eliminate the factors that caused it.  We need to take a hard look at the big picture and make sure that we are not just putting a band-aid on a bigger problem.

5.  Collaborate with Someone More Qualified to Make the Decision

We like to think that we can offer a solution to anything.  When we really think about it, there is probably someone that is better qualified in solving a particular problem than we are.  When it’s possible, seek the advice of others and possible even collaborate with a selected team to determine how to respond.

At the end of the day, how we deal with problems is going to say a lot about who we are.  Do people view you as someone who responds well or reacts poorly.  The answer may be found in how you answered this question.

***********************************************************************

Don’t miss a single post from Building What Matters by subscribing at the top left of this page. 

Help support us by clicking here and Liking our facebook page

Barry Smith   www.buildingwhatmatters.com   10/5/12            photo by author

The post Leadership Challenge: What Happens When Things Go Wrong? appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

The problem is that I have not focused on the when as much as I should have.  I have intentionally decided to post on my blog three times a week.  I have a scheduled reading plan and I have placed myself in environments that are conducive to my development as a coach, speaker and trainer.

What I have not done is put enough focus on the timing of the when.  I have been for the most part, letting things happen.  Don’t get me wrong – I am staying on schedule for the things I am currently doing but the things on my “next” list have been there quite a while.  One thing on this list is to join a local business networking organization.

Earlier this week I finally decided to connect, and reached out to one of these organizations.  The timing could not have been better.  They are getting ready to develop both a short term leadership program involving contractors as well as a long term, more comprehensive leadership program that they currently do not have in place.  Both of these are right in line with the type of leadership development I want to be involved with and I will now have the opportunity to collaborate with local business people working towards the same goals and objectives.

John Maxwell in his  The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership gives us seven thoughts on leadership timing:

1.  UNDERSTANDING

In order to make decisions, we must be informed on as much information as possible.  Study the situation and make your decisions based on facts and not emotion.

2.  MATURITY

We need to have the maturity level to allow us to make our decisions based on the right motives.  These motives should be congruent with our values and our mission statement.

3.  CONFIDENCE

We need to be confident in the decision.  First the buy-in and then the all-in.  If we are not totally committed to the decison, it may be time to reconsider.

4.  DECISIVENESS

A decision lacking solid follow up and commitment will net the same results.  If you make a decision, stand behind it an move forward without hesitation.  If we start doubting our decision, we will lose the momentum that originlly got the ball rolling.

5.  EXPERIENCE

If you don’t have all the experience that you need in doing something new, surround yourselves with those that do and learn at every opportunity.

6.  INTUITION

If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.  Don’t confuse the fear of the unknown with not knowing.

7.  PREPARATION

If the conditions do not seem perfectly clear, first examine the facts and determine what it would take to make them clear.  If it is something you can control, proceed.  If it is something outside of your control, it may be time to re-evaluate the timing.

There are a lot of positive things that people can do, but if they are not done at the right time, the ability to produce the desired results may be compromised.

The important take away for me – To be successful, we don’t just need to do the right things, we need to do the right things at the right time.  

***********************************************************************

Next Up:  Law # 20 – The Law of Explosive Growth

Don’t miss any of the remaining Laws by subscribing at the upper left of this page.

Help support us by clicking here and Liking our facebook page

Barry Smith   www.buildingwhatmatters.com   9/19/12       photo by author

The post The Law Of Timing – 7 Concepts To Help Decide “When” appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

Today we celebrate our Nation’s Independence Day.  I wonder what level of intuition influenced our founding fathers, our original leaders, in founding this County.  John Maxwell in his The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership states:

“Successful leaders see every situation in terms of available resources: money, raw materials, technology, and people.  They can sense people’s hopes, fears, and concerns.  And they can step back from the moment and see not only where they and their people have gone, but also where they are heading.  It’s as if they can smell change in the wind.”

I believe that Maxwell intended this to be directed at today’s leaders, but am amazed at how accurately it must have applied to the likes of great leaders such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.  It also appears that this idea has been a constant throughout the history of our country.  Intuition, although may be a most difficult concept to explain, is clearly a tool that all of use in making decisions every day.

As leaders, we have the ability to remove ourselves from what is happening at any moment and the responsibility to evaluate where our team is headed.  A leaders intuition is quite often, the one thing that defines a great leader.  It could be argued that some are born with great leadership intuition and others develop it through failure and success.  The challenge comes in processing the information into a mindset that, although can’t be defined on paper, will prove to be the guiding force in decision making.  The principles of leadership remain fairly consistent, but the application of a leader’s skills change with every situation.

I would suggest that intuition is merely a product of the knowledge gained during the trials and tribulations that we encounter every day.  That “gut feel” that you have in a specific situation is simply a reaction to the events that you have previously experienced.

DEVELOPING INTUITION BY CHANGING YOUR THINKING

Our intuitive capabilities can be strengthened by changing the way we think.  Dr. Wayne Dyer said “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”  When we begin to process our experiences not just as an event but as a lesson learned, we add to our intuitive skill set.  That database of memories that exists in our mind that creates that “gut feel.”

LEADERS SOLVE PROBLEMS USING THE LAW OF INTUITION

Sometimes simply analyzing the facts of a situation will not produce the solution to the problem.  Let’s just accept that intuition is the result of preconditioned thoughts based on our previous experiences.  It would logically follow that these experiences, although not directly related to the problem at hand, can provide the needed intuition to come up with a solution.

Regardless of your opinion on how we develop intuition, one thing is constant, we all have it and we all use it.  As you continue forward in this thing called life, I would encourage you to change the way you view your experiences.  Every choice we make has a result and every result can provide an additional opportunity to gain knowledge.

The choice you have to make is whether or not you will use this knowledge to help develop your intuitive skills.  What is your gut telling you right now?

Next Up: Law #9 – The Law of Magnetism

Barry Smith   www.buildingwhatmatters.com   7/4/12

The post The Law of Intuition – The Insight Of A Leader appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.