7 Part Sales E-Course
Lesson 3: A Different Perception
In order to get more effective in how we sell our products, services and ideas it's good practice to take some time and do a perception inventory. That includes more than just your perspective!
In Lesson 3 I'll give you a few tips on how to "check yourself out."
Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and wondered, "Who is that person?" Everyone has asked himself or herself that question at least once. Yet deep inside we think we have a "complete" view of who we are, or at least who we perceive we are.
As I mentioned in Lesson 2 getting constructive feedback is a great way to grow. An additional technique is to learn how to inventory what you think about yourself against the preceptions of those you work with. Too often we get stuck in our ways, become self-important, build cocoons around our thought processes and believe that everyone else's world should revolve around ours.
Hmm...not a very open-minded way to go about life! So what can we do about it?
Well, the first step is to realize that your perception of who you are is generally not exactly the perception that other folks have of you. In my training and coaching I go through a number of perception exercises that unveil some of the layers we create about ourselves, as well as how we're perceived by others. But for this lesson - just make a list of how you perceive yourself in your workplace. Then make a list of how you think others you work with (including prospects and/or clients - both internal and external) perceive you. Quite often the contrast is striking. However, you must be honest!
The next step is to make a list as to how you think others should perceive you. Guess what? Again, it's not unusual to find gaps between how you think others perceive you and how they should perceive you. So, what's going on here - is it ego, self-esteem, self-confidence, self-image, self-deception or a combination of all of them? Maybe it's none of them. It just might be a lack of understanding of your work surroundings.
If you can inventory perceptions and you're brave enough to show them to others AND ask for their opinions, you'll be able to move ahead with a broader view of yourself and a clearer perspective of how your abilities to function in your work environment affect your performance in sales, management and/or leadership.