By Clay Odom

Extreme Selling

 I was having a conversation with my father-in-law when the book I had just finished reading, The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino, came up in our discussion. Since he is a college professor of Economics, I was eager to hear his opinions and perspective on the book. To my surprise, he began quoting a line from the book that gripped me the moment I read it. “I will persist until I succeed. I was not delivered unto this world in defeat, nor does failure course in my veins. I am not a sheep waiting to be prodded by my shepherd. I am a lion and I refuse to talk, to walk, to sleep with the sheep. I will hear not those who weep and complain, for their disease is contagious. Let them join the sheep. The slaughterhouse of failure is not my destiny…never will I know how close it lies unless I turn the corner.” Here is the distinct lesson Mandino wishes to make clear: it is up to us to take initiative and relentlessly pursue our dreams without resting. Many people have given up just short of the goal line and never found success, even though they were so close. We must pursue and persist until we succeed.

Og Mandino has a way of eloquently creating visual pictures, and his words hold such meaning and currency that I was unable to put the book down. Using ancient scrolls as the vehicle of knowledge transfer, The Greatest Salesman in the World categorizes a man’s experience throughout his career and the secrets passed down to him from his mentor. Each of the ten scrolls contains advice to help the salesman take control of life and apply himself to achieving success. Interestingly enough, none of the secrets are actually sales techniques, but rather personal introspection and truths we can all follow. 

Throughout the discussion with my father-in-law, I was able to understand the economic application of the scrolls and to see how differently I will be applying them to my own life, based on industry and experiences. The application from economics is that truths exist which transcend one person’s understanding and often speak multiple truths. Egocentrism can cloud our outside-of-the-box thinking and rob us of valuable lessons that are within our reach every day. If we keep an open mind, however, we can absorb the lessons from experience and wiser individuals. When we seek to constantly learn, follow truth, and persist in our pursuit of success, we can achieve our goals and dreams.

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By Lindsay Benitez

Collective Learning 

The next learning style in our series is the social learning style, which involves engaging in the learning process through groups and interacting with others. Social learners are typically strong at both verbal and nonverbal communication. They are often the people who listen well and give advice. Professional areas to consider for social learners include counseling, coaching, human resources, and sales. 

A social learner enjoys working and learning with other people by pairing up to work on a project or forming a study group. Social learning could appear in the form of breakout sessions or group discussions. This approach allows the learner to bounce ideas off of others and work through complex ideas or problems through dialogue and conversation.

The following are helpful techniques to develop and improve your social learning skills:

• Opt to study or work in groups or teams
• Assign various roles within groups or teams
• Explore various options when making decisions
• Engage in role-playing as the teacher and student

Social learning may also encourage students to explore other individuals’ preferred learning styles. Everyone engages in each of the learning styles, just in various degrees. Social learners can initiate these conversations and help other students understand how they can collaborate to create successful ideas and quality products. Continue to analyze the way you learn and work to increase your retention by incorporating aspects of a variety of learning styles.

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Customer Service

By: Michelle Plogher

If you ask ten people to describe the value of an item, you will most likely get ten different responses. Some will focus on the monetary worth of the item, and others will focus on the sentimental aspect. There will be a wide range of ideas presented, both analytical and nostalgic. Interestingly enough, all of these interpretations are accurate. The value of an item, product, or service is based on the individual’s personal opinion. There isn’t a wrong answer. The value of anything, whether it is an object or a feeling, is going to vary based on the person asked, the state of mind when asked, and all the experiences that person has been exposed to at this point in life.  

The method you use to create value in your company’s products or services is also going to vary, depending on the customer you are working with and the relationship you have established. How long have you known this customer? Have you ever met in person? Have you done business with them in the past? You must take into consideration all you know about the person and the organization when you are working with a prospect or continuing a relationship with a current customer. What is valuable to one person, team, or organization may hold little meaning to another.

Keep this idea of value in mind as you work with your clients. Consider what your team could do for a customer, analyze their situation and your relationship with them, and create a valuable experience that will be both meaningful and appreciated. If you take the time to build a strong, professional relationship with your clients from the beginning, you will have lifelong customers. 

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What We’re Reading - By Stephanie Wharton

 The second habit in Stephen Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, builds on the first. The first three habits are designed to move people from dependence to independence. First, be proactive by controlling your responses and taking action to make things happen. Second, begin with the end in mind.

Habit #2: Begin with the End in Mind

Covey starts this chapter by having his readers imagine themselves at their own funeral, listening to various family members and friends speak. His goal is to get us to think about the end of life and about what we want the people closest to us to say. This exercise reveals what actually is most important to us, which should set the context for all of our decisions and actions. He says many people are busy, and possibly efficient, without actually being effective. However, when we do operate with the end in mind, then we can be truly effective.

While the first habit is about having the self-awareness to recognize you can take action to control your responses to situations, this second habit is about how to begin taking those steps. It’s about identifying who you are and what you stand for, and establishing that as the framework for your attitude and actions. My favorite quote from this section is, “People can’t live with change if there’s not a changeless core inside them. The key to the ability to change is a changeless sense of who you are, what you are about, and what you value.”

Covey shares the value of developing a personal mission statement to help clarify these things in your own mind. Each person’s mission statement should reflect the uniqueness of that individual. Take the time to identify your values and the core of who you are. Establish your own personal creed and let that provide the context for each of your actions on a daily basis. 

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Collective Learning - By Lindsay Benitez

The physical learning style is characterized by utilizing the body and sense of touch to understand the world around us. Some examples of physical learning include using physical movements, describing feelings associated with actions, and using physical objects during learning activities. A physical learner, also known as a kinesthetic learner, enjoys studying new material by moving around and touching or feeling objects.
 
Kinesthetic learners often pursue very physical activities such as construction and repair, drama, dancing, and athletics. If you are wondering whether you are a physical learner, ask yourself if you enjoy solving problems and ideas during exercise. This learning style can be used when introducing new material, or an unfamiliar topic, in an educational setting by including activities. Rather than relying on traditional lecture and listening in a classroom, physical learning encourages the students to get up, move around, and stimulate psychomotor skills. This concept is closely linked with Bloom’s Taxonomy of learning in action, a well-known theoretical framework within the education and training field.  
 
In an effort to improve your physical learning style, try incorporating the following ideas when presented with new information:

Create and use flashcards

Utilize body anchors

Write and draw things out

Focus on breathing and relaxation to focus

Practice role-playing techniques

As we discuss each of these learning styles, my hope is that not only will you begin to notice which styles you gravitate toward, but that you will also improve your overall ability to learn by incorporating aspects of a variety of methods. Using multiple learning styles involves more regions of the brain. The more regions of the brain involved in learning, the more likely the new concepts will be part of your long-term memory. Take note of which styles help you learn, and incorporate a wide variety of learning methods.

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Collective Learning - By Lindsay Benitez

We’ve covered several learning styles in this series with the goal of helping both students and educators in their respective aspect of the learning experience. The logical learning style is characterized by comprehending new information through human logic and mathematics. What exactly does this mean? It can be translated as: students categorizing material, cataloging, and identifying patterns in the content presented to them. An individual engaging in logical learning may approach new material from an abstract perspective and attempt to identify relationships in the content. Logical learners may even create a story map or outline to organize the material.

• Create lists during study sessions by identifying main points
• Utilize analyses and statistics when determining concentration areas
• Refocus on activities that give forward momentum to avoid overanalyzing content
• Engage in structured, goal-oriented activities

Does this sound like you? The more you understand and are knowledgeable of the various learning styles, the more prepared you will be to interpret and master new information. Take note of the natural way you learn, as well as other techniques you can use to enhance your learning.

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By: Paul Cummings

 During a business trip to Edmonton, I encountered someone who made an indelible impression on me. In fact, he captured my attention, made me laugh, and he even closed the master closer. He did all of this in a matter of minutes by following several basic selling principles. As a matter of fact, I would say he was truly a professional at his trade. Ragged clothing, mussed hair, torn-up shoes, and rotting teeth aside, this man was at the very least a “sophisticated beggar,” and at the most someone’s child who, someway, somewhere, and somehow lost his way in life.

It is amazing how some of life’s greatest lessons come from the least likely people or circumstances. There is an abundance of lessons available to all of us if we simply open our eyes and hearts to the endless possibilities. Many times, we are so caught up in our own little world of pressing problems that we are blind to the magical moments surrounding us. This “chance” encounter on a street corner in Edmonton was a great example of one of those magical moments.

As I left a restaurant with my business associates, an abrasive person demanding money immediately confronted us. Yes. I said “demanding money,” and he was doing so in such a manner that anyone’s desire to help would quickly diminish. Simply stated, the approach was flawed and overbearing. As we waited for the light to change, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I turned to see who was behind me, and I heard a very kind voice say, “Excuse me, sir, may I ask you a question?” I looked into the eyes of a man whose face could tell you a million stories. I said, “Sure, go ahead.”

He said, ”If I tell you a joke and make you laugh, will you give me a dollar?” I found this approach to be very engaging. Think about it for a minute. The gentleman opened the conversation with a polite, permission-based question. He made great eye contact, smiled, and spoke in a pleasant voice. He then used a strategy I have taught my students for years by offering me value before he asked for money. Not bad, for a beggar on a street corner in Edmonton. Every salesperson could learn from this man’s approach.

I responded, “Sure, if the joke’s clean, go ahead.” He immediately became very animated in his movements. I was shocked as he used great communication skills to tell his joke. This man used voice inflection, cadence changes, and planned pauses to deliver the joke with impact. One thing you can’t really teach is timing, and this man had great comedic timing. Obviously, he had mastered his presentation skills. It is safe to assume he had delivered this joke over and over until it was second nature to him. Truth be told, it was hilarious, and we all burst out laughing when he finished.

At this point, he gently held out his hand with his palm facing the sky as if to say, “Pay me now.” It was his very sophisticated, yet subtle, version of a closing question. I reached in my pocket and gave the man a 20 to 1 return on his original request. He had definitely exceeded my expectations in every way.  As I handed him the $20.00, he thanked me graciously and wished me a great rest of the day. I thanked him for the laugh and the enjoyable experience. As he walked away, I saw him stop and gently tap another person on the shoulder. When is the best time to close a sale? Right after you just closed one.

I wish all my students would follow the guiding principles of selling that this man used that day in Edmonton. This man was much more than a “sophisticated beggar.” He was a truly great sales professional.

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By: Clay Odom

What separates a relationship from a casual connection? In every case, a relationship is the reality where three things are present. In a working relationship, there must be a “Me,” a “You,” and the “Conditions" we face. The Me aspect of the reality involves bringing our own authenticity. Without authenticity, the relationship is not based on a personal foundation and cannot stand. The You aspect, referring to the other person, involves bringing empathy. Empathy is defined as the identification with and understanding of another’s situation, feelings, and motives. The Conditions we face make up the third identifying characteristic of a relationship. This refers to the situation in which both persons find themselves as an external engagement of the Me and You with an accuracy that can be pinpointed. 

Two core assumptions must also align in the relationship between the two people, in order to achieve the intended results. These two assumptions are trust and shared purpose. The best way to find out if you can trust someone is to trust him or her! 

For trust to exist, there are three criteria that must be met: competence, reliability, and motive alignment. 

Trust is often built or diminished by a series of conscious and unconscious assessments we make about these three criteria. Is the other person competent in a particular expertise or skill? Is he or she consistently reliable, doing the things that are promised? Finally, if the other person’s motives and intentions are transparent and align with your motives, you can be sure the individual is trustworthy. When either person has a difference of intentions, or there is an inaccuracy in approach and communication, it should be clear the relationship is getting off base. 

When the three criteria for trust are met, the pathway for shared purpose has been created. Trust is a mirror image of empathy and authenticity. Where there is one, the other must also exist. Once trust is created, purpose can be shared, allowing relationships to be built on and grow from this strong foundation.

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