How to Be Resilient in Sales w/ Bridget Gleason [Episode 378]

Welcome to another Front Line Friday with my very special guest and honorary co-host, Bridget Gleason. On this week’s episode, Bridget and I discuss resilience, why you need it in sales, tips that help you develop it; ideas to lift your sights, such as tracking small victories; and the suggestion to help others reach their own objectives.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Have you had setbacks yet in 2017? Andy and Bridget discuss resilience. It is best developed through experience. The Japanese have a saying, “Fall seven times, get up eight.”

Keep doing it. There is positive reinforcement from doing something hard. Make that next phone call, and the next, until you get some positive reinforcement.

People who are resilient are not unemotional; they just find a way to put one foot in front of the other and keep at it, and they are persistent against that goal.

Focus on small victories. Andy remembers teaching swimming lessons, where he learned the most important thing is to give people immediate success, and build on the success.

Decide what the smallest unit of success for your daily tasks would be. Focus on that. A great phone conversation, or any goal you can set and meet. It starts a cycle of success.

Bridget deliberately set achievable goals she would meet. Not easy, but ones she knew she could do. She wanted to reinforce, “I am a person who achieves the goals I set.”

Andy’s boss used to ask him, “When’s the best time to go get an order? When you’ve just closed one!” Success encourages success. Teams will score twice in succession, in the rhythm.

When you feel down, read something inspirational by anyone who inspires you. Bridget quoted from Devotion: Love and the Power of Small Steps, by Kim Nicol. Bridget looks until she finds what speaks to her. Keep words of wisdom in mind.

Do something physical. Bridget accomplishes a run in the morning before she starts he workday. Take a walk in the middle of the day. It gives you energy. Get enough sleep.

One way to lift yourself is to go help someone else, either someone who needs mentoring, or someone outside of work, where you can volunteer. You will get a boost.

Being resilient means paying attention to yourself. If you are having a hard time, don’t ignore it; acknowledge it, and take corrective steps, as needed. Celebrate small wins. Go help someone else.