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