COMMENTS
This is offensive. Comparing salesmen to children?
Surely you could've come up with something a little less condescending than that comparison...
Perhaps I should have said many salespeople are like children. Sorry to offend.
Why we act like kids...
Cherokee Wisdom
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.
He said, 'My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.
One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, bravery, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.'
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: Which wolf wins?'
The old Cherokee simply replied, 'The one you feed.'
Salespeople should more often act like children rather than acting like ...salespeople ! Who on earth naturally asks open questions? Children ! Why ? Because they have no hang ups about learning. What do most salespeople do? Ask closed or oriented questions because they want to hear what they feel will serve their purpose or get a confirmation of what they think they already know. If most sales professionnal were to be more child-like, may be they'd learn faster and better from their clients. Don't you agree ? (Oooops! What do you think ...?)
Many salespeople are EXACTLY like Children, Dave...but for VERY different reasons! The salespeople that most are like kids are those that are STRUGGLING.
The good news, while that number is HUGE, they can indeed be helped!
Being a child is about becoming...about habilitation. Habilitation is about growing from weak to strong, from dependent to independent, from incapable to capable. As a parent of two little ones, I perpetually work to habilitate my sons so that they can stand by themselves for others.(and so that they don't boomarang later onto my couch!)
So many salespeople, lacking true development at home and rarely receiving real development at work since the budget cutbacks of the mid-80s, are being 'rehabilitated' now...an attempt to 'restore them to their former excellence'. The challenge...most never experienced 'former excellence'. Most never learned how to to be strong, independent, capable, commitment, goal-oriented, or take responsibility.
That is not a slam on salespeople.
Who teaches this stuff? My kids didn't come with a father's manual, did yours? Being an outstanding parent is a RARE thing. As a board member of the Illinois Fatherhood Initiative, I've come to realize that in Cook County (Chicago), it's an amazing thing to have a father's name on the birth certificate much less be there to raise, develop, challenge, and support a child when they fall.
I've been working like crazy to find resources to develop my own boys BECAUSE I have seen the pain of lacking a father in the faces of thousands of children. Worse, I've seen the neglect of parenthood in thousands of adult salespeople who simply lack self esteem, goals, and ability to manage themselves or money, who don't bring the ability to work independently, play well with others, or give or deserve respect. Without the qualities previously listed, struggling salespeople are in effect, big kids...they are physically larger, intellectually smarter, but locked in a perpetual loop that is difficult to break until that pattern is changed.
I mean no disrespect from my comments, most ADULTS I know are still locked in patterns of childhood! Heck, I had AMAZING parents, great bosses and STILL make choices that are only defensible when you are six! Am I the only one? Look around, am I crazy, or do we live in the land of denial...a place run by adults who can't tell the truth, don't take responsibility and most often take the path of convenience vs the long term strategic?
When looking at sales 'kids'...realize 'they' didn't do this to themselves. They lacked something at home that didn't get better at the workplace. They didn't have 'sales parents'. It's easy to feud about this and I suspect most will. That said, ask yourself how many of your bosses in a lifetime challenged you to be your best, developed you to be strong and think for yourself. Held you accountable and taught you to be responsible?
I worked at the best companies in the country. My experience? About half qualified. Writing this, I wonder how many employees I personally failed to help become their best selves. More than I'd like to admit, I imagine.
Salespeople rarely get this development. Why? Because the best salesperson on the team becomes a sales manager but that doesn't necessarily mean this quality person has the skills to grow, develop, inspire and hold accountable a 'sales kid'.
Tom Schaff
PS If you're open to this idea, please look for my 2007 book, 'Sales Parent: Raising Self-Reliant Sales Kids in a Self-Indulgent World' It's being co-authored with Jane Nelsen, Ed.D and author of 18 books about raising children. Meanwhile, buy all 18 of her books and start building your sales now by going to
www.janenelsen.com
Your point about sales people being children was clear and simple.
It is interesting that many adults have a problem with reality.
Salespeople are like children. I would agree with one modification. I'm modifying this quote with a modification of something Alfred Hitchcock once said in an interview.
The interviewer asked him if it was true that he (Hitch) had said 'Actors are cattle'. Hitch replied. 'No, what I said was that actors should be TREATED like cattle.'
I have often thought of that quote when dealing with sales reps that I am babysitt... er..uh managing.