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By Percy Chong, 13th August 2015
Sales managers, recruiters, trainers and coaches alike are in unison when it comes to identifying the element instrumental to any individual’s success. Everyone seems to single out “hunger” or the desire to succeed, as the only and true determinant of one’s success.
Over the years, most industry practitioners seem to be fixated with the same observation, or they have over-simplified the situation and missed the bigger picture entirely.
ASG has taken the lone struggle to explain and expand on the correct perception on the elements necessary for success.
There is not 1, but 3 elements integral to any individual’s success:
· Attitude(ie. mental toughness or strength which are anchored on one’s character and values)
· Aptitude(ie. the innate or natural ability to do something or acquire some skills and competencies)
· Luck/Divinity(ie. being in the right place and time when the opportunities present itself)
Attitude is the broad categorisation for qualities like “hunger”, desire, discipline/hardworking, commitment, passion, fortitude, resilience etc. Although they are probably the most important qualities that shapes success, that alone is not enough to guarantee one’s achievement in the sales profession.
Example: “Hunger” or desire to become an astrophysicist alone, does not mean we can become one! No amount of hard work or “hunger” can get us there, if we do not first possess the right attributes. And there are some attributes that are innate, which in absence may prove to be detrimental to one’s success.
Of course the example above is overly dramatic, but it was deliberate to establish the point. Over the years, ASG have seen and worked with numerous individual with great passion and commitment, but they simply do not have the right attributes to thrive in the sales profession. They are not adapted to connecting well with others; and their awareness and sensitivity situation/environment is simply absent. And some of them may need a whole lifetime, just to develop these competencies that are not innate in them.
It would be too quick to pass off those candidates who are not cut out for the profession, simply as not committed or lacks the desire. The sheer effort invested (to work with one’s shortcomings) could have yielded far greater results, had it been devoted to an endeavour more suited to their given talents or attributes. It makes for smart strategy to amplify the candidate’s strength, rather than trying to overcome or play up their weakness.
ASG is therefore a firm believer that attributes profiling is equally important when identifying suitable candidates for success in the sales profession. And not enough is said or done to avoid the wasted potential and resources, as well as the growing list of jaded “dropouts”, all resulting from the negative or unnecessary experiences.
And what part does Luck/Divinity plays in this 3 element equation?
It is perhaps the least important (but possibly the most impactful) among the other 2 elements. Without sounding too mystical or supernatural, ASG acknowledges the element of chance have a part to play in who we meet, who we choose to join and who we know. Very often, the organisation, manager or mentor one chooses to follow, that can either lift us up, bring us down.
Strange, how things can come together despite the best or even wrong intentions. Such is the marvel of how one’s path can cross.
Even the chance meeting with some business opportunities or centre-of-influence (COI) cannot be fully explained. Perhaps some may be attributed to a higher volume of activities that increases the chance for such “windfall” to happen.
But on a more remote possibility, ASG have witnessed candidates with little or no attributes or attitudes defy all odds and achieve great sales results. It serves to bring home the point that sometimes, however unlikely it may be, when chance chooses you, success may also come knocking on your door. But until that happens, ASG will still prescribe to having Attitudes and Attributes as the priority, and let nature sprinkle the 3rd element of Luck/Divinity to solidify all elements for one’s success.
Article contributed by Percy Chong (through Asian Sales Guru)
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