“Selling” isn’t a necessary evil
|
Hi Reader, A founder I worked with years ago told me that he hated selling his team. Board meetings were easy for him. Investor pitches were fine. But the moment he had to “sell” his own team on a new direction, something tightened in him. He’d over-explain, talk too fast, and push too hard for agreement. And the more he pushed, the more the room pulled back. One day, after watching another meeting derail, I asked him what he was trying to avoid. He said, “I don’t want them to think I’m trying to control them.” He paused. The irony was clear even to him. Trying to get his team to think anything about him was a form of control.
You’re always selling, whether you own it or notPeople often think of selling as a “necessary evil,” but if you really understand it, it’s just an extension of who you are. You're always selling. Especially as a leader, whether you want to admit it or not. You want people to respect each other, to be in alignment, to trust each other, and to understand your vision. What feels terrible about selling is when you’re trying to force people into an outcome. And that’s when things often go sideways in business. A contract that is created by force often goes south. People who feel forced often become passive aggressive. And customers who feel cajoled often become dissatisfied and speak poorly about your company. Trying to force people is what most people call “selling,” but it’s just a disguised fear of being dismissed, misunderstood, or rejected. The easiest way to see if fear is in the picture is whenever you are using any sort of force or chase to convince people. That never feels good, and never pays off in the long run. Big Love, Joe This newsletter is brought to you by The Council. |
Art of Accomplishment
Hi Reader, Now that we’ve begun to identify some of your avoided emotions, we’re going to take this process to the next level. This is the unlock that can create some incredibly powerful transformations. Because whether you’re aware of it or not, your mind is constantly telling you stories about your emotions. But many of those stories aren’t true. The Boy and the River There was once a boy who was terrified of the river. He had fallen in once as a child and remembered the cold shock, the...
Hi Reader, Now that we’ve begun to identify some of your avoided emotions, we’re going to take this process to the next level. This is the unlock that can create some incredibly powerful transformations. Because whether you’re aware of it or not, your mind is constantly telling you stories about your emotions. But many of those stories aren’t true. The Boy and the River There was once a boy who was terrified of the river. He had fallen in once as a child and remembered the cold shock, the...
Hi Reader, In our last lesson, we explored the Golden Algorithm. We saw how the emotions we avoid don’t just go away. Instead, they come back and end up unconsciously driving all our decisions. And as a result, our lives. Today, we’re going to take the first step in undoing the Golden Algorithm. We will walk you through exactly how to find some of these “blind spot” emotions. The Jester There was once a town jester who loved to dance about wildly in the streets. He would wail, laugh, and cry...