Good morning everyone!
I hope spring is coming early this year. I am ready for the summer to get back at it. If you didn’t catch the podcast interview feel free to head over to www.pampippin.com/podcast It was a great interview about my book the sales process uncovered and discussion about everyone is selling something. Just like following those steps, we are working through the same steps here for building influence.
The past few weeks we have been asking questions to pull out the needs that those around us have to make sure we are influencing them correctly. We want to make sure that we are also aligned so that we have individuals working with us so that we can all row in the same direction. Have you ever seen people in a canoe rowing in opposite directions? It is a great deal of fun to watch, but not be apart of unless you like getting wet.
By now we should know if we are on the right track, or not for building influence with those around us. We have found the needs that those around us have and we have addressed them to make sure our vision of where we want to go has them saying I believe in you and am wanting to get on this bus to move forward with you. Influence is kind of like a train in that aspect. It takes a great bit of inertia to get influence moving, but once you have it, watch out because there is no quick stop to it unless you go off the rails.
You have answered the needs from the aspect of your group and how you are meeting those needs, but the question we have to ask is the organization aligning with and meeting the needs with those around us. What is the organization’s core beliefs that those following will feel compelled to continue to follow? This contributes to why so many people have jumped from job to job, company to company to find that one place where they feel like they totally fit in.
Make sure you are following the same processes to make sure the organization meets the needs of those around us. If the organization does not enable the people to say YES!!! I align with this vision and my needs are being met, they will surely look for other places for employment. Fun bean bag chairs, slides, and free cereal only works for a short time. When the people start getting worn out by the not so fun parts of their job, they will start looking for other places to meet their needs. They will then have about three to six months of pain getting acclimated in the new organization, but that is a different topic for another time.
For today, make the focus on making sure the organization meets the needs of those around us, under our leadership, and our families. If you have followed the process from the past few weeks you will be able to figure out the needs that the organization meets and be able to sell them on the ideas and values from the organization. If the vision and needs are aligned with the organization you’ll start noticing your team pouring water into their squirt guns and getting prepared to charge the pits of hell with you! Sell your team on the organization meeting their needs and you will have a solid team willing to communicate and stick it out with you.
Next week we will discuss how what your organization produces can also affect whether your team is engaged, or just there for a paycheck. Again, we are following the similar steps for influence. Because there will be a time when they will need to make the decision to buy-in, or step out.
P.S. If you have any input, or would like to write on a topic feel free to reach out I would be more than happy to discuss your interest and let you be a part of this blog.
Sincerely,
Kevin Sidebottom
Sales and Leadership Enterprises