| That we live in a time of relentless and | | | | training, he was anxious to meet with me. In |
| pervasive change is no longer news to anyone. | | | | our first meeting, before I had a chance to |
| There is one important implication of this | | | | begin working, he informed me that he had |
| situation that continues to be a challenge. | | | | revised the sales territories. The territory |
| That is that our employees need to | | | | that I thought I had -- the one I was hired |
| continually change their behavior to adapt to | | | | for - was not the one I was going to get. |
| the world around them.My work of helping | | | | Instead, I was going to receive just a |
| companies develop more effective sales | | | | fraction of that.The new territory only |
| organizations always involves making changes | | | | contained about 1/3 of the existing business |
| in the company. And sooner or later, that | | | | of the previous one. This change meant my |
| means that some of the employees must make | | | | plans for making a living were shot. It now |
| significant changes in the ways that they | | | | became an impossible task.I was upset and |
| think about, and do, their jobs.This is | | | | angry. How could they do that to me? I |
| particularly true of the sales people, who | | | | immediately began to look for another job. |
| must decide to change their behavior and to | | | | Determined to quickly leave this unethical, |
| implement the best practices that I teach. | | | | uncaring company.Things got worse. As I |
| Beyond that, ultimately, helping people | | | | interviewed several companies, I discovered |
| change is the work of every executive, | | | | that they saw me as the problem. Instead of |
| manager, consultant and trainer.Which brings | | | | understanding what the company had done to |
| us to the heart of this article. What is it | | | | me, they thought I was an opportunist who was |
| that empowers some people to change smoothly | | | | looking for an easy way out. It became clear |
| and effortlessly, while getting others to | | | | that no one else was going to hire me!I grew |
| modify their behavior seems like moving a | | | | more and more angry and bitter. In addition, |
| mountain? What is the fundamental building | | | | I had little success selling the staplers. |
| block for individuals that, more than | | | | After six months, my temporary draw came to |
| anything else, equips them to successfully | | | | an end. I owed the company $10,000, was |
| implement change?It is something that is | | | | making almost nothing, and had no prospects |
| becoming increasingly rare -- a motivating | | | | for another job. I felt squeezed between the |
| sense of personal responsibility. That is, a | | | | proverbial rock and hard place. I was a |
| deep and imbiding belief that one is | | | | victim of a dirty deal.Then, out of the blue |
| responsible for one's own behavior as well as | | | | one day, I had an inspiration. It was me! The |
| the consequences of that behavior.That seems | | | | problem was me! Yes, the company had treated |
| so basic and common sense, yet I am | | | | me poorly. Yes, they had been unethical and |
| constantly amazed by how few people actually | | | | uncaring. But, the product was still |
| exhibit it. Over and over in my work in | | | | exciting, and the opportunity still great. |
| developing sales people and their managers, | | | | The real problem was my attitude - my |
| I'm struck by how many people fail to accept | | | | bitterness and anger were getting in the way |
| responsibility for their own success or lack | | | | of everything.I was responsible for my own |
| of it.It's far more popular to be a victim. | | | | behavior, my own thoughts, and my own |
| We have all shook our heads sadly over some | | | | attitude. When I had the realization that it |
| newspaper account of someone who commits some | | | | was me, I felt like a thousand pounds had |
| act of irresponsibility, and then | | | | been lifted from my shoulders. If the problem |
| successfully sues someone else. In our | | | | was me, then I could change! If the problem |
| litigious world, being a victim often pays. | | | | was somebody else, then I was a victim, and |
| That is an unfortunate consequence of an | | | | powerless to do anything about it. What a |
| unhealthy belief.As long as we view ourselves | | | | motivational and exhilarating realization. I |
| as victims, we're unable to change ourselves | | | | began to work on my attitude. I began to take |
| or our circumstances and achieve better | | | | control of my thoughts. I looked up Bible |
| results. It is not our fault that we're not | | | | verses that were very inspiriting. Versus |
| doing better, we tell ourselves. Someone else | | | | like, "If God is for you, who can be against |
| caused it. And because it's someone else's | | | | you?" "If you have faith like a mustard |
| doing, the power to fix it and make it better | | | | seed..." I wrote them down on 3X5 cards. |
| is with some one else. We're powerless to fix | | | | Then, as I drove into my territory every day |
| it.While few people admit it, or even realize | | | | along I-96 in Detroit, I held them in my hand |
| it consciously, this "victim attitude," the | | | | on the steering wheel, and read them over and |
| direct opposite of personal responsibility, | | | | over to myself. Slowly I began to do away |
| is very common, and embraced to some degree | | | | with my bitter attitude, and replace it with |
| by most of us. This is especially true of | | | | hope and expectation.My results began to |
| sales people, who could always do better if | | | | change also. Things began to go better. Six |
| only something were different - something | | | | months later, I had paid off the debt to the |
| that someone else controls. If only... we had | | | | company, and was making more money then I |
| lower prices ...our quality was better ...the | | | | thought possible. The job became more fun, |
| boss was more understanding ...customer | | | | more financially rewarding and more |
| service was more responsive ...you know the | | | | fulfilling then anything I ever expected.The |
| litany because you've chanted it.My wife is a | | | | turning point for me occurred at the moment I |
| crises counselor. One of the biggest | | | | accepted personal responsibility for my |
| eye-openers for her occurred when she | | | | circumstances.Once again, the lesson is |
| realized that she was counseling the same | | | | clear: When there is no acceptance of |
| people over and over again. You'd think, as | | | | personal responsibility, there is little hope |
| she did, that a crisis would be an isolated | | | | for positive change. Where there is a |
| event. Not so. Many of her clients find | | | | personal responsibility the future holds |
| themselves lurching from one crisis to | | | | unlimited potential.Your struggle to bring |
| another. Why? Because they don't make the | | | | about significant change in your organization |
| changes in their behavior and character that | | | | will depend on the depth to which your |
| got them into the crises in the first place. | | | | employees embrace their responsibility to |
| At some deep level, they see themselves as | | | | make personal changes. Your efforts to |
| victims, not personally responsible for their | | | | improve the productivity of your sales force |
| own character, their own behavior, and the | | | | will ultimately depend on the degree to which |
| consequences that behavior brings. Where | | | | your sales force accepts personal |
| there is no sense of personal responsibility, | | | | responsibility to make the changes in |
| there is little hope for positive change.I | | | | behavior that will improve their results.Can |
| had a personal experience that brought this | | | | you instill a sense of personal |
| lesson home to me in a way that I will never | | | | responsibility if it is lacking?This is one |
| forget.I had been the number one salesperson | | | | of those aspects of character that is always |
| in the nation for a company - my first full | | | | easier to hire then to instill. In other |
| time professional sales job. I had it made: | | | | words, if you hire people who already have a |
| adequate salary, good benefits, company car, | | | | sense of personal responsibility, your job |
| bonus potential, and the respect of my | | | | will be much easier.However, if some of your |
| employer and colleagues. But the long term | | | | current employees lack this characteristic in |
| opportunities were limited, and I decided to | | | | sufficient quantity, it is not hopeless. By |
| move onto a job that was 180 degrees | | | | understanding the importance of this quality |
| different. I took a position selling surgical | | | | of character, and regularly making it a part |
| staplers to hospitals. It was a leap from the | | | | of your conversations, you can raise the |
| secure job I had to one that paid straight | | | | awareness of this fundamental building block |
| commission, required you to buy your own | | | | for implementing change. Talk about it, write |
| samples and literature from the company, and | | | | about it, and preach it in company meetings |
| provided only six months of a draw to | | | | in the hope that many of your employees will |
| begin.But I was cocky, filled with the | | | | see the light, in the same way that I |
| success of my previous job, and sure that I | | | | did.About Dave Kahle, The Growth Coach(R): |
| could make this work also. It wasn't hasty. I | | | | |
| looked at the amount of existing business in | | | | Dave Kahle is a consultant and trainer who |
| the territory I was slated to get, and | | | | helps his clients increase their sales and |
| determined that if I could double the | | | | improve their sales productivity. Dave has |
| business with in six months-a doable task, I | | | | trained thousands of salespeople to be more |
| was assured - I'd be back making about what I | | | | successful in the Information Age economy. |
| was used to. Then, as I increased the | | | | He's the author of over 500 articles and five |
| business, my income and life style would | | | | books. His latest is 10 Secrets of Time |
| evidence the differenceIt all sounded good, | | | | Management for Salespeople. His "Thinking |
| and I left my old job, and arrived in New | | | | About Sales" Ezine features content-filled |
| York City for six weeks of intensive training | | | | motivating articles, practical tips for |
| on the new one. During the time that I was | | | | immediate improvements, useful resources and |
| there, my district manager moved on, and was | | | | helpful tips to help increase sales. |
| replaced. When I arrived home after the | | | | |