| I recently had the great honor and privilege of visiting | | | | time: We met at 0600, began our program at 0610 |
| our United States Military Academy at West Point, | | | | and finished at 0640. I shook hands with this group |
| NY. I was overwhelmed by the courage and passion | | | | of majors and corporals as they filed out to go to |
| of those that occupy this post. They are truly | | | | formation in the square prior to heading to mess hall |
| remarkable people and I was struck by how much | | | | and then to their first class of the day at 0700. |
| the disciplines they practice relate to selling. Yes, it | | | | Cadets pack more stuff in before breakfast than |
| might be a stretch to tie what happens at West | | | | most people do in a day. It is truly amazing to |
| Point to sales and selling, but not much of a stretch. | | | | observe the capacity for work and effort that this |
| This group of young people consistently | | | | group has. And their intensity is unmatched in |
| demonstrates at an extraordinary level all of those | | | | anything I've ever experienced. Imagine what you |
| competencies necessary to succeed in selling: | | | | could achieve if you approached your professional |
| courage, desire, commitment, persistence and ethics. | | | | career with this kind of intensity. |
| They are sales people in fatigues. They spend their | | | | Lesson 2: If you want to be good at something, I |
| day selling others on the connection between | | | | mean really good at something, desire and |
| athletics and winning on the battlefield. One of the | | | | commitment alone won't be enough. You have to drill, |
| metrics for success: bringing everyone back alive. | | | | drill, and drill and then drill some more so that you can |
| That is life or death. | | | | perform your task with near perfect execution |
| I was introduced to the head of competitive sports | | | | every time. These cadets go through 'the routine' of |
| at the military academy at West Point. We talked | | | | preparing for battle in everything they do, so that |
| about measuring commitment. Commitment at the | | | | when faced with the most difficult scenario, they can |
| military academy is at a different level than what we | | | | perform automatically and with precision. In selling, |
| consider as commitment. We think in terms of | | | | you may not think it's critical, but at the academy, it |
| committing to prospecting activity; they commit to | | | | means someone's life. |
| bringing entire companies of soldiers back to the | | | | Lesson 3: If you commit to something because of |
| states alive. However, we both have the same | | | | the desire for great reward (BHAG: Big Hairy |
| problem: "how do you measure commitment". I think | | | | Audacious Goal), you have to be willing to pay a |
| it's simple: | | | | substantial price. You need to invest. And not at the |
| - Achievement of stated and "agreed to" | | | | level that anyone would be willing to pay. No, if you |
| non-negotiable goals | | | | want the big reward, you must make the big |
| - No excuses when you fail to accomplish goals | | | | investment. These cadets willingly complete their 47 |
| As simple as this concept is, and with all the | | | | months of training and development knowing that |
| leadership taught at the academy, this seemed to | | | | they will be asked to make the ultimate investment. |
| resonate and help them realize that, yes, even at this | | | | Lesson 4: You must have standards of excellence. |
| high level of performance, people are susceptible to | | | | These standards of excellence rest upon your vision, |
| performing less than they are capable of. | | | | your mission and your core values. The core values |
| Their objective of focusing on building teams of | | | | at the academy are Duty, Honor, and Country. Every |
| significance and winning with honor is to prepare | | | | cadet lives his or her life by those values. Those |
| cadets for battle, for fighting, for protecting our | | | | values become their DNA. As a sales person, how |
| country. They measure success by lives not lost and | | | | you approach what you do for a living has to be in |
| those not wounded. These are their objectives, their | | | | your DNA. |
| metrics for success, and they have fun, they joke, | | | | Lesson 5: Finally, I learned that the best of any class |
| and they enjoy a deep commitment to each other | | | | are the best of any class because of their willingness |
| and to the cause. It is truly a remarkable | | | | to learn. It amazes me that these cadets, one and all, |
| environment. | | | | are sponges when it comes to learning. They devour |
| In addition to our discussion around identifying and | | | | information. They ask questions. They ask for clarity. |
| measuring commitment, we discussed how they | | | | They want to practice what they've learned. They |
| work to develop commitment and cohesion within | | | | want to execute and implement. They strive for |
| their teams. I asked them what they do currently. | | | | extraordinary and do not make excuses for failing to |
| Their response: they talk about and coach to vision, | | | | meet "agreed to" objectives. Imagine pursuing your |
| goals and core values, having the right team | | | | own goals the same way. |
| members and creating a culture that enables teams | | | | My parting thought is this: As you go about your day |
| to succeed. Sound familiar to what it takes to build a | | | | today, remember that selling isn't life or death. |
| committed and cohesive sales team? It was | | | | However, if you prepare and have commitment, your |
| comforting to hear that one of the best learning | | | | approach is based on solid core values, and you |
| institutions in the world addresses this crucial element | | | | execute and work to win with honor, then you will |
| of success the same way sales organizations must. | | | | win more than you lose. You will thrive and you will |
| Here are some of the other lessons from my visits: | | | | be proud of this business of selling. |
| Lesson 1: There is time, and then there is military | | | | |