I have my own views on the matter, but I have just entered a period of “non-confrontation” which prevents me from being – well confrontational.

I am adopting a more North American sycophantic persona – hope you understand.

Very much enjoy your Blog – but deeply upset that I am no longer on your list of favourite Blogs?

Jonathan

There’s a word for sales professionals who can’t close business. That word is “unemployed.” Sales professionals do not need to be refocused on goals. The problem is that those goals can easily get in the way of the sales process, making it more difficult to achieve those goals.

Customers sense it when all the sales professional cares about is closing the deal. It creates immediate resistance and slows down the sales cycle. What’s worse, being focused on the goal, rather than on the process (i.e. being in the moment, listening, reacting) makes it more difficult to sell, because you miss the subtleties of the situation.

You have clearly never competed athletically at a high level, where focusing on “winning the game” (rather than being in the moment) is anathema to actually winning the game. Olympic athletes do not think about their scores or the score they might make. They are completely “in the moment” — focusing on the process of what they are doing *right now.*

The same is true of great sales professionals. When they’re actually selling — working with a prospect — they’re “in the now”, not worrying about whether they’re going to close the deal or make their numbers. By forcing your clients to remain obsessed by goals, you’re actually training them to be mediocre.