4.2 The Cycle of Success
The cycle is your cycle. You own it and must take full responsibility for keeping it moving. What drives it, the motor for this cycle, is your dream. Remember the words of Walt Disney earlier in this chapter: If you can dream it, you can do it.
Your dream, your mission
You cannot win an Olympic gold medal if you do not or cannot dream of winning one. Dennis Waitley in his inspirational book, Empires of the Mind, writes about the dreams of accomplished and successful people. Waitley suggests that writing a personal mission based on your dream can help you realize it. Write it down, keep it in your wallet, backpack, or purse, and let it drive your cycle of success.
Test Yourself
1 What do the various letters in AESKOPP mean?
2 Do all of the seven AESKOPP elements have to be present for successful selling?
3 What are some of the core competencies of Skills?
4 What are the two types of Preparation?
5 How can a salesperson use the core competencies rating system to improve performance?
6 Name two ways a sales manager can use the core competencies rating system.
7 What is an attitude?
8 Which comes first, attitude or performance? Why?
9 What is the difference between a goal and an objective?
10 What are the six criteria for sound objectives?
11 What are the four elements in the cycle of success?
Project
First, rate yourself on all of the core competencies, make a list of the five you need to work on most, and then assign yourself some monthly learning goals. For example, “to improve my market knowledge by reading Chamber of Commerce material and Census data next month.”
Second, choose a task, such as writing a term paper or a sales presentation, or an activity, such as dating, and write a MADCUD objectives statement that will help you complete the task or activity successfully.
Last, write a BHAG for yourself – several years in the future – and then write a personal mission statement that will help you focus on and achieve your BHAG, your dream.
References
1 Drucker, Peter F. 1954. The Practice of Management. New York: Harper & Row.
2 Collins, James C. and Porras, Jerry. 1994. Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies. New York: Harper Business.
3 Colvin, Geoff. 2008. Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World‐Class Performers for Everybody Else. New York: Portfolio.
4 Garfield, Charles A. with Bennett, Hal Zina. 1984. Peak Performance: Mental Training Techniques of the World's Greatest Athletes. New York: Warner Books.
5 Gerstner, Louis V. Jr. 2002. Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance? Inside IBM’s Historic Turnaround. New York: Harper Business.
6 Gladwell, Malcolm. 2008. Outliers: The Story of Success. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
7 Johnson, Spencer and Wilson, Larry. 1984. The One Minute Sales Person. New York: William Morrow.
8 Locke, Edwin A. 1966. “The ubiquity of the technique of goal setting.” Behavioral Science, Vol. II.
9 Locke, Edwin A. and. Bryan, J.F. 1967. “Goal setting as a means of increasing motivation.” Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 51.
10 Locke, Edwin A. 1968. “Toward a theory of task motivation and incentives.” Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, Vol. 3.
11 Locke, Edwin A., Cartledge, Norman, and Kerr, Claramae S. 1970. “Studies in the relationship between satisfaction, goal setting and performance.” Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, Vol. 5.
12 Peters, Thomas J. and Waterman, Robert H. Jr. 1982. In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America’s Best Run Companies. New York: Harper & Row.
13 Pink, Daniel. 2009. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. New York: Riverhead Books.
14 Waitley, Dennis.1995. Empires of the Mind. New York: William Morrow.
Resources
1 Daniel Goleman’s website and blog (www.danielgoleman.info)
2 Lessons for Living website (www.lessons4living.com)
3 Core competencies (www.mediaselling.us/downloads.html)
Notes
1 1 Anderson, Chris. 2013. “How to give a killer presentation.” Harvard Business Review, June.
2 2 Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/2008/books.
3 3 Gladwell, Malcolm . 2008. Outliers: The Story of Success . New York: Little, Brown and Company.
4 4 Ibid.
5 5 Ibid.
6 6 Retrieved from http://projects.ict.usc.edu/itw/gel/EricssonDeliberatePracticePR93.PDF.
7 7 Colvin, Geoff . 2008. Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World‐Class Performers From Everybody Else . New York: Portfolio.
8 8 Ibid.
9 9 Ibid.
10 10 “Masters of scale with Reid Hoffman.” Retrieved from https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/stitcher/masters‐of‐scale/e/53503384.
