“It is not the most intellectual of all the species that survives; It is not the strongest… The species that survives is the one that is able to adapt”
– Leon C. Megginson
It is hard to believe that we are just over a week away from the 4th of July- and the year is already halfway over. That means it is mid-year review season and regardless of whether you are up, down, or sideways - it is a time to reflect. It is a time to reflect on the things that are going well, those not going so well, what happened that you did not expect, and why things happened the way they did.
Experiences are just events if you don’t take the time to reflect on them. Maybe you just spent the last 6 months getting your teeth kicked in. If so, what are you changing? Maybe you had the best 6 months of your career. If so, what were you doing and how are you trying to get even better- because as we all know, success is not a permanent place. Regardless of whether you are winning or losing out there, zooming out and reflecting on why it is happening will allow you to pivot or continue on the right path. Acknowledging that things didn’t go as planned is not admitting failure if you are going to do something about it.
Questions to ask yourself if things didn’t go as well as expected:
Did I put in the effort required to be successful?
Do I have a clear customer strategy?
Was I relentless in honing my sales skills?
Did I hit my activity metrics?
Did I effectively communicate my value to my customers?
Questions to ask yourself if things did go well:
What are 1-2 habits I can contribute to my success?
Which of my value statements resonated the most with my customers?
What customer persona got me the best results?
How can I continue to develop within my organization?
What is the next skill I need to learn to stay ahead of the game?
June is also a time to plan for the rest of the year. It is the conversations that are happening right now that can alter the course of your year. Once you have reflected, it is time to put the past in the past and look forward. The windshield is bigger than the rearview for a reason and remember, you are never too far down to make a comeback. Just ask Tom Brady after being down 28-3 in the Super Bowl or LeBron James being down 3-1 in the NBA Finals.
Planning questions to ask yourself if things didn’t go so well:
What are the skills I need to master to have a strong finish to the year?
Do I have a clear plan of how I am going to acquire those skills?
What are 1-2 habits I want to start that will make me successful?
Do I understand my activity metrics and do I have a plan on how to hit them?
Do I have a clear customer strategy?
Planning questions to ask yourself if things did go well:
This is not a question, but- do not read your own press. Don’t stop doing the things that made you successful in the first place.
Am I being proactive in my own development? Or am I waiting to react?
Where is the opportunity to get 1% better?
Who is my next best customer? Your best customer things year may not be your best customer next year.
What is the next skill I need to learn?
Regardless of whether you are having a good year or a bad year, there are some common themes listed above.
1. There is never a bad time to invest in your sales skills.
The world is changing at a faster rate than we have ever seen. Every day a new AI tool is released and there is a lot of noise out there. If you are doing well, great! But remember, the world will be a different place 6 months from now and you will need to adapt to the speed of the game. If you are not doing well, that is okay because now is a time to invest in yourself and learn some new skills that will give you a competitive edge.
2. Your everyday habits are an indication of your success.
Simple Truth:
The difference between the successful person and the unsuccessful person is this: The successful person is in the habit of doing things the unsuccessful person doesn’t do.
3. Wherever you are right now, it is not a permanent place.
Tough times don’t last forever, just so long as you are not playing the victim. Times are tough- so do something about it. The time to invest in new skills is now. Good times also don’t last forever. Don’t fall asleep at the wheel and think that you can win on cruise control. You must maintain a state of constructive discontent to always drive improvement.
To tie a bow on the opening quote - To adapt, you need to learn. I'll end with two questions: How do you acquire information? Do you react to what enters your field of vision, or are you proactive in seeking new knowledge, skills, and perspectives? We have helped organizations drive growth in the toughest of times and are your partner in success. Plus, our skills-based training programs incorporate how to best utilize AI for efficiency and results. Contact us to start a conversation.
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