What does it take to be successful in sales, in sports, in any endeavor? No doubt, we need the skill to DO. But why do some people with all the skill not succeed? Why are the most knowledgeable also not always the top performers? It’s because of the will. Skill and will are the factors of success.
What is the will? It is the driver of action that makes good use of your skills and knowledge. And it is made of four specific drivers – the Success Drivers.
- Integrated Beliefs
- Goal Transparency
- Emotional Intelligence
- Initiative
Success Drivers (TM)
- Integrated Beliefs – belief in the value you offer, your role offers, and your solution offers
- Goal Transparency – identifying the goals you want/need, the plan to achieve them and making them visible in writing, words and action
- Emotional Intelligence – resiliency and the ability to roll with the mental demands of your career – not letting your emotions stop you from taking the necessary actions
- Initiative – the personal energy, drive, or desire to DO – to take action, be proactive
These 4 components are the drivers to success – and what leads to champions! There are examples of the impact of these drivers in abundance through the 2012 Olympics games. Listen to the commentators talk about resiliency, recovery, mental stamina, focus, confidence, and work ethic when discussing the champions – and the lack of these components when things don’t go well.
The U.S. Men’s gymnastics team’s Drive to succeed was challenged with the first few mistakes they made, and they crumbled making more errors, with a lack of focus, and they did not end up on the medal platform that night. They lost their beliefs, their emotional intelligence took a hit, and they shut down versus pushing ahead like Michael Phelps who did not perform his best at first, was sloppy in closing a race, and out of medal contention altogether in another race. But he is a champion and came back to win over and over again.
Most of us aren’t world class athletes, but we can be world-class sales professionals.
