Getting Unstuck Part 1

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Getting Unstuck Part 1

This is from Jill Konrath:

Part I: What to Do When You're Totally Stuck

Posted: 22 Jul 2008 11:05 AM CDT

You've been there before. And, so have I. Perhaps you have aggressive competitors who you just can't seem to beat. Maybe the economy is hitting your territory pretty badly. Or, perhaps you've been slacking off a bit lately and it's catching up to you.

It doesn't much matter what the reason though when your goals seem unreachable and you don't have a clue how to achieve them.

Stuck is stuck. If you knew what to do, you'd have already taken action.

When you're struggling, it doesn't help to have your boss say, "You need more sales." Duh! Comments like that just add additional stress to the difficult situation.

Nor does it help to continually tell yourself, "I have to get more business" or "I must come up with a better plan." All that does is push the panic button.

Did you know these statements actually cause your brain to freeze up?

It's true. They literally immobilize your creative juices, enabling you to see fewer solutions to your dilemma. Plus, the ideas you do come up with are typically stale (e.g., make more calls) and don't give you an edge in today's competitive marketplace.

So, if you're in a rut, what can you do? Or, if you have an audacious goal, how can you get there?

The Answer: Ask, "How Can I ...?"

This is the start of a simple, but powerful question that unlocks your thinking and enables you to see fresh perspectives where none existed before.

Look for different ways to finish the "How Can I" question. Play with it. Why? Because when you phrase the question in new ways, you'll come up with different answers. For example, you might ask yourself:

How can I increase my sales?
How can I get bigger contracts?
How can I focus on customers that are more profitable?
How can I free up time to pursue more business?
How can I leverage new offerings to get my foot in the door?

As you can see, each of these questions leads your thinking down a whole different pathway. And, instead of feeling like you're carrying an insurmountable burden, suddenly the creative YOU jumps into action, ready to help you out. Your "oomph" returns, along with a whole slew of ideas.

Let me give you a couple ways I've used this "How Can I" strategy in my sales career.

Dealing With Slumps at Xerox

Much as I hated slumps, there were times when my pipeline was nearly empty and I had no idea how I was going to make my quota. When that happened, I'd go to breakfast alone, carrying only a notebook and pen.

Over a couple hour discussion with myself, I'd pose and answer questions such as:

How can I get more business from my existing customers?
How can I find prospects who are ready to buy now?
How can I leverage my relationships to find more opportunities?

At first, I'd jot down whatever thoughts came to mind. Then, I'd expand on each of the thoughts, adding more detail and flushing out the concept. Before leaving, I'd evaluate & prioritize the ideas and then create an action plan to move forward.

The best part of this process is that it was re-invigorating. Rather than feeling stumped or at the mercy of slow-moving decision makers, I felt empowered again. With a renewed sense of momentum and an action plan, I always got results. Big results.

... and speaking of "big," I'll continue on that theme in my next post.

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