There I was at the John Wayne airport waiting to check in at the kiosk for an airline that I have never flown before. The reason why…I was flying to a destination that I have never been to before - Minnesota. Even though I was about to experience the coldest temperature I have ever been in, I was actually looking forward to it. As I stated in one of my previous blog entries, if you have to do something, you might as well make the most of it. Instead of complaining and thinking about the negatives, focus on the positive aspects of the experience. You never know who you are going to meet, the lessons you will learn and the stories you will be able to share.

Yes, I like aisle seats.

However, there was one part of my airline check in experience that left me dumbfounded. I don’t know about you, but when I fly, I always try to get an aisle seat. I just like the freedom to be able to go to the restroom or simply stand up without having to climb over people or wake someone up that is in that deep “flying sleep.” When I pulled up my reservation at the self serve kiosk, I saw that I was in a window seat. No big deal, I thought to myself, I will just follow the prompts and change to an aisle seat. I figured that there should be plenty of seats since I gathered that not too many people would be flying from Southern California to Minnesota in the dead of winter.

Are you kidding me!

Then, a seating chart pulled up on the screen, and at the same time an airline agent walked up next to me. “Sir, may I help you?” she said. “Yes please. I am trying to change my seat from a window to an aisle,” I replied. “No problem. The seats with letters are already taken, the seats with dollar amounts next to them are for purchase and the middle seats are free,” she explained. I could not believe my ears. They were actually selling coach seats…as upgrades! It is common knowledge that airlines charge for upgrades to first class, but I was just trying to change from a coach window seat to a coach aisle seat!!! To make matters worse, they were selling coach window seats for $25.00 (which is what I already had) and would not let me move to an aisle seat unless I paid an additional $25.00. Not wanting to stay there debating with the agent and miss my flight, I decided to pay the $25.00 and get an aisle seat. The seat I “purchased” was 2 seats over from my original window seat. As I walked away, I thought to myself, “this would have never happened on Southwest Airlines.”

To your Story!

Ja Marr

Every night thousands of sales professionals find themselves discussing their day with a spouse or significant other.  For most of us, 90% of our day is spent working so that is typically the main topic of discussion.  That is why when you meet a person’s spouse or significant other, they usually say something like, “I have heard so much about you.”  And believe me, they have!  The question I pose is, “Do you know exactly what was said?”  Whether you like it or not, as the manager, you are the center of a person’s work life, you represent the company they work for and are the focal point of whatever emotion, positive or negative they are experiencing. There is no such thing as a separation of your professional and personal life.  I use to think that before my wife reminded me of just how much I talk to her about my work.  Is it any different for you?

The purpose of this article is to remind us as managers of the significant influence a salesperson’s personal life has on his or her career.  Remember that they take home to work every day and work goes home with them every night.  And by work, I mean you!  Not literally but figuratively.

What do you want your employees to take home?

Salespeople have to constantly justify their work to their spouse, family or significant other.  All of the ups and downs, highs and lows of their work play a significant role in the ebb and flow of their personal lives.  It goes without saying that as a manager, you have to abide by the standards, expectations and directives of your organization.  All I want you to think about is the fact that while you are doing the job you were hired to do, is that you remember that you are communicating with real people that have real emotions and feelings.  By no means am I saying that you should bend the rules or make exceptions for individuals that do not meet the required standards and expectations; all that I am saying is that you should try to communicate to your salespeople in a way that inspires them and makes them feel good about what they do and who they work for.  Believe me, if your salespeople take home a manager that appreciates and believes in them, they will transfer that positive energy into their home and will in turn receive positive reinforcement from their significant others. This will energize and make them even more committed to doing the best job they can…not just for the company, but also for you!

If you are a salesperson or a sales manager reading this, please feel free to share your stories and thoughts about this blog.

To Your Story!

Ja Marr

Recently, I had to take a trip to Atlanta. Because the meeting location was about an hour from the airport, I decided to rent a car.  Along the way, I drove by a graveyard.  I have passed by graveyards many times, but this time it was different. Normally, I think about the family members and friends of mine that have passed away and I say a little prayer of thanks for having had them in my life and for all of the lessons they taught me through their stories.  Often times, I find myself tearing up, because of how much I miss them.  But the thoughts of missing them are trumped by the joy and comfort I have knowing that we shared so much together when they were alive. In addition to the fact that the lessons they taught me, continue to lead and guide me.

The stories buried with the individual

All of the sudden, I became sad again.  Not because of the people I personally knew that have passed, but because I thought about how many of those individuals in that graveyard died with their stories untold?  How many of their family members and friends truly knew them? How many of them had stories and information that if shared could have touched and changed someone’s life? So many times when someone passes we hear people say, “if only I could have spent more time with them.  If only I could have gotten to know them better.”

I also thought about how many of them passed with the regret and disappointment of knowing that they never pursued their dreams and passions in life…and now, it is too late.

It is not too late to tell your story

However, it is not too late for you and I.  You can tell your story, you can inspire others, and you can leave a legacy for yourself. It does not have to be on a grand scale…just tell your story to the people in your life who mean something to you.  Share the lessons you have learned and that have shaped you as a person.  Teach your children the lessons life has taught you, what to do and what to avoid.  If you are a manager teach your employees the stories about your career that can help them.

I have been fortunate enough to write a book titled, “What’s Your Sales Story?”  This book was written because I wanted to inspire other professionals through my story, and give them a roadmap for which to write and tell their own story.  My book, will also serve as a teaching guide for my daughter when she starts her professional career.

Since the day my wife and I found out that she was pregnant, I started keeping a journal for our daughter. I chronicle the daily lessons and stories that are not only shaping my life but hers as well.  I am overwhelmed with joy and peace knowing that she will always have those journals to serve as a reminder of who her father was and the story of her life. I highly recommend that all parents do that for your children.  When you are gone, how will they remember you?

Finally, make sure that at the end of the day you have no regrets in life and can say, starting today, that you pursued your dreams and passions in life.  When someone you know passes by your gravesite, make sure that they can say…I know his or her story!

Now it is time to share your story.  Please write back and share your comments.  Remember, your story can change lives!

To your story!

Ja Marr

Dominoes and life?

When I was a young child, I saw a commercial on TV right before Christmas.  It was advertising a Dominoes set.  Not the actual game of connecting Dominoes in multiples of five but the setting up of the Dominoes to eventually push one and see all the them fall down in a big wave.  I was amazed as I watched these kids set up what seemed to be a million domino pieces in an incredible maze which included, ladders, falling off tables, going through an inner tube, up hills, down hills, over model cars, being pushed by a train, falling using a parachute, and on and on all the while staying connected in a wave of one knocking down the next one.  I had to have that domino set!  I imagined all of the things I could do.  All of the incredible mazes I could build, the friends I could impress, the domino contests I could win.

Do you really want the Domino set?

I went to my mom and asked her if she could buy the domino set for me.  She tried to talk me out of it, by saying that what I saw on the commercial is not as easy as it appeared.  She said that I would end up frustrated because I am not patient enough to take the time necessary to build the domino maze. She also asked me if that is what I really wanted or if I just wanted it because it seemed cool on TV.  Then she went on to tell me a phrase that I did not understand at the time.  She said, “Son, remember that all that glitters isn’t Gold.”  I was not buying it; so I begged and begged her to buy me the set for Christmas.

Where is my Domino set?

Christmas day!  My brothers and I woke up at the crack of dawn to get to our presents.  We ripped through all of them.  Of course, I was looking for my domino set.  However, I was disappointed to find out that after opening all of my gifts, there was no domino set.  All of the sudden, my mom and dad appeared with what they called a special gift for each one of us.  I opened mine and jumped up and down with joy to see the domino set I had seen on TV.  I told my family that I was going to set up my set just like the commercial I had seen and give them a demonstration right after breakfast.

I don’t want this stupid Domino set anymore!

After breakfast, my brothers went outside to play with their toys.  I stayed in and decided to make the kitchen floor my domino palace.  Over the next several hours, I tried and tried but could not get the domino to stand in sequence without tipping one over and seeing the whole domino wall come crashing down.  I became increasingly frustrated and at one point, was almost in tears because I could not get the dominoes to do what the commercial showed.  Sensing my pain but not wanting to say, I told you so, my mom walked into the kitchen and sat on the floor with me.  “Do you want some help?” she said.  I burst into tears, hugged her and said, “Mom, I can’t do it.  I can’t get the dominoes to do what the kids in the commercial did. I don’t want these stupid dominoes.”  She said, “Son, like I told you.  This game requires a lot of patience and practice.  We are not going to return the domino set and get you a new game because this is what you wanted.  Now that you have it, you need to learn how to set them up and I will help you.”

Making my own Domino commercial.

We spent the next hour or so, setting up the set, not like the commercial, but in our own special way. After we had set up a couple hundred or so dominoes in a pattern, we called in the rest of the family for the big unveiling.  Just as they all made it to the kitchen, due the fact that my brothers were running, the floor shook and the dominoes started to fall.  They did not quite fall precisely in order but they all came tumbling down nevertheless.  My brothers kept saying how awesome it was.  My mom looked at me with that knowing smile and winked.

Lessons learned from tumbling Dominoes

I learned a couple of very valuable lessons that day that I have carried with me my whole life:
1.)    Be careful what you ask for because you just might get it.  Just like with a job or career, it is important to really think about why you want something and the implications on your life after you receive it.  Are you truly prepared to handle what comes with the change or are you just trying to be like the people in the commercial?
2.)    Everything new that you attempt requires patience, persistence and a commitment to learning what it takes to be successful.  How do you make your dominoes look like the ones on TV?  One domino at a time.  How do you become a top salesperson or a top manager?  One day at a time and trying to get better and better each day. This is where my philosophy of The Kaizen Way really comes into play.

Time for your story

What has played the role of the Dominoes in your life?  And what are your comments or thoughts about this blog.  Please write back and let me know.

To your Story!

Ja Marr Brown

No Chicken Nuggets

This past weekend, the wife and I went to Las Vegas.  Even though the casino we stayed in gave us a free room, they definitely got their money back and then some.  But this article is not about that.  As usual, traffic driving back to California from Las Vegas was horrendous; so we decided to grab a bite to eat at the state line and wait for traffic to die down some.  Being the fast food junkie that I am, I used every sales trick I know to convince my wife to eat at McDonalds.  I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get these cravings for certain items at various fast food restaurants.  This day, I could not wait to sink my teeth into some Chicken Nuggets and eat some fresh out the fryer French fries (I always ask them to make the fries fresh for me).

We don’t have that

Finally, she and I were next in line.  The couple in front of us ordered 2 cups of coffee and 2 McRibb sandwiches.  The young girl taking the order shook her head and said, “We don’t have the McRibb.”  The man said, “What!  No McRibbs.  But the sign on the menu board right behind you says that the McRibb is back.  Where did it go?”  She just shook her head again and said, “We don’t have the McRibb.”  Then he said, “Why don’t you take the sign down.  How can you advertise something that you don’t have?”  But he was not done.  “OhOh wait just a minute.” He was looking at the lady making his coffee.  “You guys put cream and sugar in the cup before you pour the coffee!  That does not make any sense.  How do you know if it tastes the way that you want it to?”   She said, “Sir, that is just how we do it.  If it does not taste right to you, I will make you another one.”  She gave him his coffee and he took a sip.  “Oh my goodness,” he yelled out.  “This coffee is cold as ice.  Ya’ll don’t got the McRibb, you pour your coffee wrong and then you give me cold coffee.  What is this!”  She apologized to him and they made him 2 fresh cups of coffee.  By this point, a line had built up about 15 people deep and it was our turn to order.

We don’t have that either

My wife ordered 2 chicken wraps.  No problem.  I was craving chicken nuggets and wanted to get a My Little Pony toy for our daughter so I ordered a 6 piece McNugget kids meal.  The same young girl said, “We don’t have any chicken nuggets.”  “What!” I said with an astonished look on my face.  “This is McDonald’s.  You are known for your chicken nuggets.  How can you not have chicken nuggets?”  She calmly said, “We don’t have any nuggets.”  I gathered myself and said, “OK, I will take a Cheeseburger kids meal with fresh fries and a My Little Pony toy.”  She said, “French fries.”  “No, fresh fries,” I said back.  She said, “French fries.”  “No, fresh fries,” I said again.  Again she said, “French fries.”  Flabbergasted, I said, “I want you to take some uncooked French fries, put them in the square frying thing, drop them in the hot oil and when they are done, sprinkle salt on them and give me a small one.”  “Oh, you want fresh fries,” she said.  Almost laughing, I said “Yes, please.”  “Would you like anything else?” she said.  I said, “Yes, let me have a fruit and walnut salad.”  She said, “We don’t have anymore fruit and walnut salads.”  At that point, I looked around to see if I was on candid camera.  Not seeing Howie Mandell or Ashton Kucher, I said, “Ok, since you are out of the fruit and walnut salad, then I will have a Carmel Sunday with nuts please.”  You can guess what she said next.  “We don’t have any ice cream.”

Everything we couldn’t get

By this time, the gentleman from earlier was just getting his “fresh” cup of coffee and overheard our entire conversation.  He went into a monologue about all of the items that they didn’t have that were still being advertised on the menu.  “You guys, don’t have the McRibb, the coffee is cold, no chicken nuggets, no fruit and walnut salad and no ice cream.  This is amazing.”  When he was done, I asked for my check and waited for my order.  When it was ready, I took it to our table and opened the bag.  I was surprised to see a transformer like toy in the bag.  I turned to my wife and said, “Didn’t I order a My Little Pony toy.”  She gave me that I know what is coming next look and begrudgingly said, “Yes.”

Oh, we don’t have that either

I got up from our table and went straight to the counter with the transformer looking toy in hand.  When I reached the counter, I said, “I ordered a My Little Pony toy, but was given this thing.”  The young girl turned to me and said, “We don’t have anymore My Little Pony toys.”

Disclaimer: I am a big McDonald’s fan and have never had such an experience before.  I can safely say that my experience this time was a one off situation.

To your story!

Ja Marr

Dear Friends,

Sometimes in life, you can work so hard to achieve something and either loose sight of why you went after it in the first place or even wonder if your efforts were in vain or truly made a difference.  This can range from parenting, mentoring, volunteering or in my case, writing a book that I hoped would touch and inspire the reader to not only achieve their aspirations but to also share their story with others.  The letter below was sent to me by someone that read my book, “What’s Your Sales Story?”   This is the reason why I wrote the book.  I want to thank this individual for sharing their story and I would be honored to have those of you reading this post, read my book and tell me your story as well.

The Story From a Reader

Dear Ja Marr,

I wanted to write you and thank you for being such an influential speaker to not only the kids at the SBA mentoring program but to me as well. I read your inspiring story and can only explain my reaction as deeply moved. I thank you once more for generously giving me your book. I found it comforting that I am not alone in the world of medical sales. Since I am new to medical device sales, I found myself relating to your story quite a bit. I continuously caught myself reliving similar experiences throughout the read. Everything from not taking responsibility of my own territory to letting my ego stop me from asking for the sale. I particularity love your chapter about earning the right to ask for the business. In that chapter I felt I was reading my story not yours. I am shocked at the familiarity of your story and feel truly blessed that I read about your young career before destroying my own. Your book is a crucial guide to every new sales professional, especially those in medical sales. I have read many sales books, even medical device sales guide books and none of them prepare you for the mistakes you will most likely make like your book does. I can safely say your story may have potentially saved my career because of the path I have been leading thus far.

I would love to share my story with you and there is a good chance you will be taken back by the similarities. I have recommended this book to my VP of sales. I do not know how to thank you for sharing such a personal story and opening my eyes to what the sales industry should be about. Before I started with surgical sales my hopes included that my knowledge and accountability would help doctors perform better in surgery thus leading to higher patient satisfaction and surgical results. I wanted my doctors to see me as their consultant rather than their vendor. The pressure for increasing sales numbers changed my perception pretty quickly. I felt none of my managers cared about my expectations for the position, instead the focus was on the bottom line. I lost sight that I could achieve my initial goals and increase numbers in unison. Ultimately, in our business it is about the bottom line. The problem lies with only recognizing this piece and this is where you cause trouble. I appreciate the chapter of your life where it was no longer about the rankings to you and because of that you not only earned success but you earned the number one spot. There is something to be said about that and it is no coincidence you earned respect from your ophthalmologists.

Congratulations to your success, I truly admire you for sharing your struggles in this world of constant judgment. I would love to learn more from you and consider you a mentor. Please feel free to contact me anytime. I would love to attend one of your upcoming programs or events.

To your story,

Ja Marr

We have all heard or used the phrases, “Your glass is half empty” or “Your glass is half full,” to describe if a person is an optimist or a pessimist.  I am someone that has used those phrases very liberally when I would speak to people in my personal and professional life.  If I felt someone was being negative or not seeing the big picture, I would say, “Your glass is half empty.”  If he or she was being positive or optimistic despite the challenges they faced, I would say, “Your glass is half full.”  As a manager, I would often use those terms to assess the mindset of my team.  Of course, the hope being that the operating mindset was one of, “The glass being half full.”

Hungry animals just attack

I was recently talking to someone about the importance of having a positive vs. negative attitude.  At one point in our discussion, he asked me why I was always positive and seemed so upbeat and excited about life, regardless of the challenges or obstacles that I have faced.  He said, “Why does your glass always seem half full?”  Without hesitation, I fired back an answer that surprised me. I said, “So many people get hung up on the verbiage of someone’s glass being half full or half empty.  As far as I am concerned, it does not matter if someone’s glass is half full or half empty if they are thirsty.” A hungry animal does not get hung up on the size of the prey.  They attack small prey with the same ferocity as if it were big game.

Just Drink

As I reflected on the answer I had given him, I tried to figure how I came to that conclusion.  I picked up one of the journals that I have written and the answer soon emerged.  Whenever I described one of my aspirations such as Salesperson of the Year, District Manager of the Year, Winning a Golf Tournament (scrambles only), writing a book or learning to play the piano, I described what one would consider days that my mental glass was half full or half empty as I pursued those aspirations.  Yes, I may have made more progress when I had a positive attitude and my mental glass was half full, but that did not mean that I was completely unproductive or did not make progress when my mental glass was half empty.  Why?  Because regardless of the challenges or obstacles both mentally and physically, I was still very thirsty and willing to drink whatever was in the glass.

Regardless of how I felt internally my passion and desire for my aspirations was absolutely relentless. Whether I felt positive, negative or otherwise, my dreams were bigger than a simple “passing” thought of being positive or negative. The energy that people experienced as they observed my drive for achieving my aspirations was not about being positive or negative, it was about being Purposeful.  I call this the Relentless Pursuit of Excellence!

Yes, Tiger Woods

As I focused my research on others that are pursuing Excellence, one example stands above the rest.  In 2008, I had the privilege of attending the US Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego CA.  Thanks again G Force!  We have all heard about how Tiger Woods, once again, beat all odds and won the tournament despite his desperate need to have knee surgery.  Well, I was there.  I saw the look of pain and agony on his face every-time he took a swing.  I was only several yards away and saw how he at times could barely walk as he hobbled down the fairway.  But I also saw something else…he was Purposeful or should I say “Thirsty.” I am sure that both negative and positive thoughts entered his mind over the course of the tournament; however, they were trumped by the overwhelming thought of, “I want to and am going to win no matter what!”

Here is the lesson:  No one wakes up feeling either 100% positive or 100% negative every day.  There are ebbs and flows in everyone’s mentality.  However, what should not change is your desire, purpose and passion for achieving that which you are pursuing. Regardless if your glass is half full or half empty…if you are thirsty, drink every drop!

To your story!

Ja Marr

My father recently told me a story about a man that would bring his lunch to work every day. Each day the man would open his lunch, take out a sandwich, take a bite and complain about how bad it tasted, and how tired he was of eating the same old, boring lunch.

After months of listening to the man complain one of his co-workers finally had enough. He approached him and asked, “If you are so sick of having the same lunch every day, why don’t you ask your wife to make you something different?” Clearly offended by such a suggestion, the man snapped back, “I don’t need to change anything. I make my own damn lunch.”

I was reminded of the lunch story as a result of a recent speaking engagement I delivered for the Medical Service Society (www.medicalservicesociety.org) in San Diego. The theme of my talk centered on the idea that a sales professional’s current mindset and behaviors equate to their current sales results. This theme was applied to the current state of our economy and the affect it is having on sales professionals.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist - or economist - to see that our economy and sales environment has drastically changed in the last 12 months. Businesses of all sizes and a majority of all industries are dealing with an unprecedented level of upheaval. We all know that something needs to change. The real question isn’t whether change is needed, but what kind of change do we need to make in order to achieve sales excellence in today’s environment?

Making career lasting changes starts with acting and thinking differently in order to produce the results we desire. Complaining about your results as the man did with his lunch or worse yet, doing the same old things we have done in the past, while expecting new and improved results, is the definition of insanity. In other words, it is time we pack a different lunch!

Alexis and I at our first father daughter dance.

I was trying to think of ways to start this article, but the words, “I’m Back”  kept playing in my mind.  So I will start by saying that, “I’m Back!” 

What exactly does that mean?  It means that I am back at the place where I spent so many hours thinking and writing; the local coffee shop on an early Saturday morning.  I have not done this routine in at least two months.  Waking up early and going to the local coffee shop (with a book or my personal journal in hand) had been a routine of mine for years.  It is where I wrote the majority of my first book, “What’s Your Sales Story.” 

 I would get up before the family, head to the local coffee shop and read and write until I received a text from my wife letting me know that she and our daughter were awake.  Then I would head home and we would spend family time together the rest of the weekend.  It was such a great feeling to study your life and clear your mind at the end of the week; and then spend time with your loved ones. 

When Life Gets In the Way of…Life

As we all know, however, there are times when life gets in the way of, well…life.  You know those times because we’ve all been there.  We get busy, the pressures of work and life add up and before we know it we’re distracted and often times disconnected from what really matters most.  During these times we tend to stop doing the things that we love to do and focus on all of the “stuff” life throws at us.  While we may make some really good progress on achieving desired outcomes it is not uncommon to confuse activity with accomplishment. 

But fortunately I recognized it was time to re-adjust and get back to doing the things that bring peace to my life  and spending time with those that I truly love.  So here I am at the coffee shop, writing, thinking and feeling at peace.  The truth is that I never lost sight of what I loved doing and of course, I always carve out time with my family. But sometimes we need that wake up call that stops us in our tracks and forces us to take action on the things we know we should be doing. The wake up call or as I would prefer to call it, “the inspiration” that woke me up early this morning and brought me back to my place of solace and peace actually happened last night.

A Valentine’s Dance With My Daughter

My daughter and I went to our first father daughter Valentine’s dance at her school.  I cannot tell you how excited I was to go to this dance.  From the time I found out about the dance two weeks ago, I was filled with anticipation.  I thought about the fun we would have, how I would show her how a gentleman is supposed to treat a lady, the pictures and video we would take, the dancing we would do, the conversations we would have, the smiles, the laughter and most importantly, just spending quality time together. 

However, when we walked into the ballroom, my vision of the night was soon replaced by reality.  Five of her classmates seemed to appear out of thin air and were all screaming and running towards us.  When they finally reached us, they all began hugging and telling each other how pretty they looked and how beautiful their dresses were.  Then the words I dreaded to hear were said, “Alexis, let’s go play.”  She looked at me with the look that always makes me melt and said, “Daddy, can I go?”  As much as I wanted to say no, I knew that I had to let her go.   So she was off to the dance floor where an assortment of balloons was ready to be kicked and punched around and I was left standing with my daughter’s coat and our camera in hand.

Watching my daughter with her, “girlfriends” reminded me of the fact that this scene will play itself out more and more as she gets older.  Honestly, I was very sad.  I felt that my dreams of our father daughter dance had been shattered.  That’s when a revelation came over me. 

I thought about my Kaizen Way philosophy of Eliminating Wasteful Thoughts and Behaviors. I realized that I was thinking in a way that was counter-productive to the memories I wanted to have of that evening.  So many times in life, when things don’t work out exactly the way we want them to, we tend to wallow in self pity and stop trying as opposed to finding ways to make the most of the situation.  I went out to the dance floor and found myself in a balloon fight with my daughter and her friends. 

I took out my camera and started flashing pictures and taking video.  We all did dances such as the robot, cabbage patch, running man and jumped around like kids should.  We even did a father daughter skip down the Soul Train line that we created.  When the Jonas Brothers came on, I felt it was time for me to take a break. 

After several minutes, the DJ came on the microphone and announced that it was time for a father daughter slow dance.  Once again, a wasteful thought of, does Alexis want to dance with me crept into my mind.  All of the sudden, I saw her skipping towards me with a smile on her face that I will never forget.  I was standing with two other fathers at the time she reached me.  She grabbed my hand and said “Daddy, I was looking for you.  I want to dance with you.” 

As she lead me to the dance floor, she turned back and said something that I will never forget for the rest of my life, “Daddy, thank you for taking me to the dance.  This is the best night of my life!”

Enjoy the Moment

That night I was reminded of one of the keys to a successful life and career…Enjoy the moment!  Life is moving by so fast and things seldom turn out exactly the way you plan them.  However, if you stay focused on making the best out of any situation and do not allow wasteful thoughts to consume you, you will get the outcome you are looking for.  It may not look or sound like you envisioned it, but believe me, it will be exactly what you need. 

To your Story

From the moment he walked thru the door, I, and everyone else in attendance found ourselves caught in the whirlwind that was Bill Clinton. There was something about him that simply drew you in. I wanted to figure out exactly why he had such an affect on people; so I closely watched his every move. From the way he walked to the way that he looked and talked to people. Almost immediately, the answers to my questions began to surface.

He walked with a confident and knowing disposition. Unlike many other politicians who when campaigning, seem to be in a race to shake the most hands and get thru the crowd as quickly as possible, Bill Clinton stopped and talked to each person as if they were the reason why he came to the event. As he shook each person’s hand, he smiled and connected with them thru listening and finding something in common.

The first time he came up to me, he quickly glanced at my name tag (I only noticed because I was still studying him) and then said, “Ja Marr, thanks for coming. Where are you from?” “San Diego,” I responded. “Great city, people from San Diego tend to be very friendly and relaxed like yourself.” “I really like your suit (he and I were wearing the same colored suit). Let’s take a picture, he said.” There was a professional photographer walking around and as we were taking the picture, he asked me, what college I attended. I told him “Whittier College.” “Some great leaders have come out of Whittier College,” he said; and we spent the next minute or so discussing some of the famous and infamous Whittier Alums; from former President Richard Nixon to, Rhoads Scholar Stan Sanders. As he was walking away, he said, “It was great to meet you Ja Marr.”

I continued to study him as he walked thru the crowd some more. He never waivered from his initial disposition. He gave a 30 minute talk on everything from political issues such as the current presidential race, healthcare, the economy, national security and global issues that affect the US. People hung on his every word. I found myself equally drawn in. Then I became present once again and asked myself, “why is this man having such and affect on people?” The answer was surprisingly simple. First of all, he practically knew each person in attendance due to the way he connected with them from the moment he walked thru the door. Second, as he was speaking, not once did it feel as if he was speaking in a tone that suggested that he was President Clinton and we were not. It honestly felt as if we were having a conversation at a casual dinner. He was doing all of the talking but it felt like we were having a conversation.

After his talk, he walked around some more and ended up right in front of me again. Before I could get a word out he said, “Ja Marr, are you enjoying yourself? I was stunned by the fact that he called me by name. Did he remember it, or did he look at my nametag again? To this day, I don’t know. I said, “Great talk and it was a pleasure meeting you.” Then he said, ‘thank-you. Let’s take another picture.” As we were taking the second picture he said to make sure that I continue to support Whittier College, and he hopes to see me as one of the great leaders that come from that institution.

After he walked around a few more minutes, the secrete service stepped in and whisked him away because he was late for another event. There was a distinct difference in the vibe of the crowd after he left. People were socializing, laughing, exchanging business cards and talking about how great it was to meet Bill Clinton. That was a contrast to the vibe of the crowd before he walked in. Yes, guests were friendly and socialized some, but Bill Clinton made acquaintances and strangers, fell like old friends.

After I met some more people and exchanged a few more business cards, I decided it was time to leave. I was shocked by the scene that awaited me outside. I thought that I had figured out Bill Clinton’s formula during the event, but what I saw outside, after the event was over really gave me clarity. Outside of the home of where the event had taken place, a crowed of curious neighbors had gathered across the street. At first, I signed it off as just a few curious on-lookers; but then something really significant caught my attention.

In the middle of all of the crowed of neighbors and curious on-lookers was…Bill Clinton. He had the same disposition as he had during the event. He smiled, shook hands, looked people in the eye and seemed to talk to each person individually. All of this as the secrete service stood by. I could not help but think to myself, “the 30 guests in attendance each paid $1,000.00 to attend; and here was Bill Clinton treating people that did not attend the event, and paid zero dollars, the same way as those that paid $1000.00! To me, that was the most impressive thing that Bill Clinton did that evening. It reminded me of the age old adage, Treat everyone equally.

As sales people, we often treat our customers and their office staffs differently based on our idea as to how valuable or important each person is based on their title or decision making ability. We often think that it is a waste of time “connecting” with individuals that do not write the checks, or the prescriptions (for those in the pharmaceutical arena). But you must remember, you never know who someone really is or just how important they are or will be one day. Today’s front office secretary could be tomorrow’s office manager. The lady at the front desk could be the physician’s wife. Think about this, the neighbors outside had no expectation that Bill Clinton would take the time to talk to them. They were not invited to the event and did not pay any money to spend time with him. However, they found themselves getting the same treatment that those of us who paid $1,000.00 did. How special did that make them feel! What if you were in their shoes? How would you feel? Regardless of what they felt about Bill Clinton prior to that evening, I promise you that they developed a new respect and fondness towards him.

If you are someone that strives for success in sales and wants to be a perennial top performer, I encourage you to apply the lessons that Bill Clinton taught me about sales.