Purple Curve Insight #3:
As you will recall, the talk about curves, is based on the chart also used as the cover of the book, Purple Curve Effect.
In Chapter 16, I was talking about how successful people often are willing to do things that the less successful will not. Like make a list. Or pickup the phone and makes some phone calls. It only makes sense that if you are in sales, you will make more sales if you call more people.
Hence, it is common sense.
However, people actually making those extra calls is quite uncommon.
This chapter also touches (again) on dreambuilding. Perhaps one of the most misunderstood and least practiced short cuts to success to which I have been exposed. How does one have a dream come true, if they have no dream?
If you have been in consulting more than about a week, you have experienced this challenge:
"Thanks for the call Mr. Prospect. How may I help?"It takes uncommon effort to move organizations from status quo to the "next" level. Among those efforts, may I suggest that you have the goals (in the form of dreams, perhaps) at the ready?
Your approach may differ slightly.
"Well," starts the prospect, "I would like to take my business to the next level."
A worthy goal. Not uncommon in the business world.
After you research the status quo, present three scenarios, win the contract, and start actually implementing your plan, "it" raises its head.
"Mr. Client, we need to make this change to [fill in the blank] in order to jump to that next level." Almost regardless of the evidence presented, the client (formally the prospect) will have a number of reasons why your changes are not possible.
"Well Mr. Client, as you will recall, we defined a goal of improving 'due date performance' from the present 64% to 92% by our fiscal year end. This change is required in order to allow the shipping department the ability to respond as needed. These spreadsheets that you and I created, show how we can attack the market and win valuable market share, if, and only if, as we factored in, our due date performance significantly improves."
Now, for the punchline.
"I trust Mr. Client, that you recall the plan to upgrade the company's fleet of vehicles to those manufactured in this century was based on winning a mere 5 points of market share?" Then a big grin crosses your face, "And isn't your new car going to be a Cadillac CTS?"
Over simplied? Sure. Buy my book for the details.
Disappointed in the use of material things to motivate performance? Too bad. May I suggest you investigate Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
It is simply a matter of getting yourself to create the positive behaviors (habits) that will cause one to do the uncommon. In the U.S. Marine Corps, every enlisted man must complete the same three month boot camp. Regardless of the occupation. It is my understanding this is unique to the Corps. Why is this required? Every Marine must understand they are first and foremost, a combat soldier. This concept must become ingrained in one's thought processes, in order to function as a highly effective team. One's actions must become habit. Without hesitation.
Set yourself up to succeed. Do what others are unwilling to do.
Go test drive that new Cadillac CTS today!
Jeff 'SKI' Kinsey, Jonah
www.ThroughputPress.com
P.S. Be sure to get the sun roof!
tag: Uncommon Common Sense
(c)Copyright 2007, Jeff 'SKI' Kinsey.
All rights reserved.