5 pieces of advice to my younger Sales Professional self.

I bet you’ve met Harry. 

He is a quirky little guy who prides himself on his role as Director of our memories. 

There he lolls, lounging back on his plush red recliner in the dimly lit gold class cinema of our minds.  His remote control is like a magic wand, trolling through the highlight reels of our life’s messes, searching for the messages that will form the narrative of our sequels. 

For Harry, discovering regrets is like discovering gold.  They are the messes he can dress up as lessons that change the course of our future script. Our happy ever after. 

If we choose to listen.

He is the voice of our, “I shoulda, coulda, woulda”. 

Yep, he is Harry hindsight.

While rehashing difficult memories can be painful, reflection is how we learn.  It stops us making the same mistakes over & over & offers opportunity to course correct our lives.  It offers growth.  In the professional sense, it provides opportunity to improve our effectiveness, share our wisdom & generously impart our knowledge to others. 

The more we give, the more we receive, after all.

My 21 years in the sales industry is laced with lessons.  Some, gradual trends I didn’t really notice at the time.  Others were unpleasant circumstances (polite for monumental f-ups) that hit me like an atomic bomb in the moment.  They would reverberate around my mind for months & often took years to find the courage to face their teachings head on. 

Familiar?

This week, I’ve taken a leaf out of Oprah’s book, trolled through my cerebral archives & considered the five pieces of advice I’d give my younger sales professional self. 

Advice to better set myself up for sustainable success by not taking it all as seriously as I did in the past.

See if you agree!

1. Let go, to grow

There is a difference between taking control & needing to be in control.  It took me a long time to understand the difference.  My own fear preventing me from doing so.  I held onto the growing business so tightly, I couldn’t let it go.  My ego constantly screaming, “no one else can do it Peta.  Only you.”  What a load of bollocks that was.

I didn’t have the foresight to understand my own limitations.  I kept thinking I would always find a way.  It became a very lonely place.

To a person who needs to be in control, the letting go that comes with delegation is frightening.  Confidence comes from our leaders creating a psychologically safe environment that promotes inclusive connection, accepts facing vulnerability as a reality of growth & fosters trust.

Focus on building trust with your leaders & team, to loosen your grip. 

2. Be an inspiration seeker

I’ve never forgotten my inspirational leaders.  They are the people who I would reach out to on an off-day who had a relatable experience to share & took the time to listen & understand.  Many at the time, knew me better than I knew myself.

Finding inspiration is your responsibility.  It might not always come from your direct Manager.  Their comings & goings are out of your control. 

Only you know who you admire. The person whose conversation leaves you energised & injects hope into a seemingly impossible situation.  Never stop looking for these oracles in your life or becoming too reliant on any particular one. 

Powerful inspiration is like a lightning bolt between our purpose & our vision.  It is vital to our growth as a person & that of our business.

 3. You can’t rush your Customer

We often take for granted what we ask of someone when we ask them to change their mind.  Do we really understand what they went through to reach their current position? (the one we are proposing to change)

Enthusiasm can blind us to the consequential reality change would bring a customer’s world. 

“Surely, they can see how good this is?” we wonder with excitement, desperate for our customer to see what we see.  But they don’t.  Not straight away, anyway.

Meet your Customer where they are today, not where you want them to be tomorrow. You are taking them on a journey. The pace set by mutual understanding of what’s at stake.

Lasting change is a slow burn. Be patient.

4. Don’t stop leading yourself

All of us are heading somewhere.  Whether we are aware of it or not.  For some, it is a strategically managed path taking us to an ambitious destination.  For others, they are more of a tumbleweed on the wild plains of life. An, “I’ll see where the wind blows me” scenario.

Regardless, investing in personal growth through connection, giving & learning is a fundamental need to all of us, without exception.  It keeps us connected to ourselves through our purpose & values. 

Be cautious of being swallowed by your growing business.  You still are & always will be your own person. 

One day it will live on without you & you will without it. 

5. Define success on your terms

Defining success by what is in our control keeps our confidence on an even keel.

In today’s world where distraction & outside influence attacks us daily like an unexpected meteorite, we need to readjust our definition of success to reflect our impact on those we serve & progress in our personal growth.

Time & time again I’ve proven to myself that I focus on the numbers, I mentally hold on too tight.

I focus on my generosity to those I serve & the numbers inevitably follow.

These small pieces of advice make an enormous difference to my well being, my effectiveness as a person & ability to influence.

What is your Harry saying to you?

Peta x

Coach, Consultant, Author of My Beautiful Mess - Living through Burnout & Rediscovering Me.

Subscribe to more blogs like this or read an excerpt here