In any sales oriented environment, we are faced with the question of - "Are you going to meet your target this year?". This is the same question that will be repeated again and again in the week, months, quarters during the year. Your boss wants to know whether your team will achieve their targets. Other department in the organization will also wants to know whether your team can pull through and complete the target. Basically, everybody is interested! Yes, you guys are the front-liners, you must perform! You must achieve it so that the company can go for a nice company trip next year! You must achieve it so that we can look into getting a better salary increment next year! You must! You must! You must!
I have been telling my team that they are responsible for the livelihood of all the men and women that are working in our organization. If we don't perform, we will adversely affect their lives, and their loved ones. If we don't perform, our organization will face scrutiny by the higher management from head office regarding the poor result. And lastly, if we don't perform, our heads may roll - our services can be terminated! Yes, it is tough, it is a heavy responsibility but that is what you have signed up for..
And here lies the single most important aspect of differentiating the performer from the non-performer: their unwavering commitment. Their commitment to the cause. Their commitment to their sales target. Their commitment to the fact that no matter what happens, comes rain or shine, they will give their 100% to this objective. It must not matter if you have to stay back late at night to finish off that proposal even though your husband or wife may make some noise. It must not matter if you have to entertain your clients in the wee hours of the morning, just to make sure that you are given preference for the deal. And it must not matter if you have to wake-up your other colleagues, who were already sleeping, for his or her assistance to make sure that your tender submission the next day will be a smooth one.
If one were to show such full commitment to the cause, most likely than not, he or she is destined to succeed. Why? Because by setting their mindset that nothing should get in their way between them and their success, that failure is not an option, and that if there is a will - there is a way, they will continue to attack the cause in every which way until the desirable result is achieved.
Now if you are fortunate enough to come across such individuals of this breed, then half of your battle is won - the other half depends on you, the manager. You still have to coach them, motivate them, challenge them and listen to them - since being human, they cannot be positive all the times. You have to be the catalyst to make sure that their desire to achieve the objective is maintained at all times, that they are heading in the right direction, that success is just around the corner if they were to persevere. How to motivate your staff is a whole different subject matter. But for now, I am grateful that I managed to find a few of such individuals in my team.
(image above courtesy of Marcin Balcerzak via Dreamstime.com)
