Southwestern Sales Talk
Decisions, decisions! Every day in our careers, in our lives, we are faced with making decisions. One of our Southwestern Company student dealers was sitting in my office trying to decide about whether or not to sell again. We discussed the pros & cons, how she felt. During the conversation, she said–three times–”I’m just not good at making decisions.” Three times.
Her self-talk was part of her problem; her habit of not deciding was another part. I shared with her that the more decisions she made, the better she’d be at making decisions. Making decisions is like working out: the more you do it the easier it gets–just like a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it gets. (Wow, I’ve 
just incorporated a simile!)
I also thought it would be good for her just to practice deciding. We started off with easy stuff: where she would get lunch; what she would do back at school, etc. Doing reps with a 5 pound weight would be easy (this is what we call an analogy). Later, we discussed bigger decisions: her goals, her purpose, and her plans for next summer–heavier weights for sure.
I told her what I’d learned from Southwestern sages ages ago: that you have to decide not to decide! That procrastination is a decision–a decision to delay. I also shared that putting off decisions rarely solved the emotional challenge she was feeling.
I liken it to a pilot landing a plane in rough weather.
Have you ever been on board a plane that was approaching the runway, and then just took off again for reasons unexplained? Making a decision might be like landing a plane (another simile)–as you approach your “decision runway”, it gets tougher; there is stress. Deciding not to land, “taking a wave off” and heading back into the sky definitely reduces the stress of having to land, but you are still aloft! The holding pattern can only last so long. At some point, you need to land the plane (or decide). All the emotions, the fears, the stress–they are present whenever you decide. The momentary relief of procrastination does not solve the problem–it just delays it.
So guess what my advice is? Don’t delay. Decide! As Socrates once said, “I have heard; you have listened. You know the facts. Now give your decision.” Socrates was hard-core logical. (I’ll let you try to use that as a close in your next sales presentation.)
As a salesperson, are there decisions you need to make-soon? Are there clients you should be contacting but haven’t? The saying about “putting off until tomorrow what you should do today” is better said: “Do it now!”
The timing of this one is incredible, haha. Everyone ‘riding the fence’ needs to read this one.
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Lee McCroskey Reply:
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:03 pm
Sitting on the fence only leaves you with a chapped butt. Thanks, mystery commenter….
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I have decided to start using more analogies! haha. Great reminder about not procrastinating. Alot of tim the decision actually gets harder for me the longer I take to make it. My decision is the best decision!
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Lee McCroskey Reply:
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:02 pm
There is power in just deciding something! Dan’s comments on my blog are sterling–thanks Joe, for faithfully leaving a cogent comment.
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Lee, great entry!
You and I share an interest in etymology (and probably entomology, too, but let’s leave bugs out of this). “Decide” is from Latin roots “de” which means OFF and “cædere” which means CUT. Literally, it means “cut off.” This was the usage when something was determined in a definite way, as in “at a stroke,” like the stroke of an axe. Obviously, when one cuts something with an axe, it is pretty definite! Deciding moves us from the debilitating darkness (alliteration, eh?) into balance and discernment – parity and clarity, so to speak (Assonance, eh? – both from Chapter 20 in VL).
Okay, why am I commenting like this to a guy with an M.A. in English?
Another point: Charlie “Tremendous” Jones said don’t worry so much about whether you are making a good or bad decision. What is MOST important is what we do AFTER the decision is made. Example: two people get married. They made a decision. Then they ignore one another, become estranged, and refuse to compromise. The marriage suffers. Some might say, “Gee, they made a bad decision to get married.” No, they ACTED badly after they made the decision! Charlie says, “MAKE the decision, then MAKE IT RIGHT by what you do NEXT.”
Thanks again.
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Lee McCroskey Reply:
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Thanks for the further insights! This needs to be a blog unto itself. Sadly, I never took Latin, so I’ll leave the etymology stuff to you. Well done, Dan.
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Thanks, Lee, for blogging. We all love you here in Estonia
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Lee McCroskey Reply:
October 3rd, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Maret! Thanks for the comment. can you help me/us out? We are trying to raise our google ranking with these blogs, so spread the news that all SMs in Estonia should visit and COMMENT! Like you did. Thanks for the kind words.
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Thanks for the ice-cream in checkout Lee.
This stuff is especially important right now when schooli is back in the picture. Have to start making those decisions NOW. Thanks Lee!
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Lee McCroskey Reply:
October 5th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Hans–hopefully, some of these blogs will be helpful to you throughout the school year. Thanks for commenting–tell your friends to subscribe–and comment!
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Ha. I read this just as I was about to call in on my customer about a bounced cheque. Good timing!
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Lee McCroskey Reply:
October 6th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Cass: Be bold! Do it now! Procrastination solves nothing. Glad you tuned in, just in time.
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Thanks Lee. This blog came at the right time. A couple of things are lined up. Your words reminded me to do them now!
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Lee McCroskey Reply:
October 9th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Now is your time to win…(to quote a famous book)! Thanks for the comments!
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Awesome blog, Lee! I mean it’s not like college students ever procrastinate – but still, very insightful (sarcasm)!
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Lee McCroskey Reply:
October 12th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Thanks, Chad. I’ll follow up on this topic again.
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Good blog. And good response from Dan
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Lee you suck. I had almost decided to put off studying for my organic chemistry today until I saw this. I will thank you when I get my grade back.
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Lee McCroskey Reply:
November 15th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Many have told me I suck…for various reasons. You owe me in advance for the great grade in o-chem.
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