Attitude

Try this quick exercise.  Name 3 things that can impact your attitude from the time you wake up until the time you start your work day.

What’s on your list?  We ask this question to groups of salespeople all the time and typically people say things like:  traffic, bad weather, an argument with a family member, or the challenging economy. What do all these have in common?  First of all, they’ll all impact your attitude in the wrong direction, and second of all, each of these things is out of your control (with a potential exception on the argument).  Rarely we hear things like: I gave my daughter a big hug, listened to my favorite song, or had a great workout. Now these things happen, but when most of you start off positive, you are often on the lookout for negative things to bring you down.  The hug, the song, and the workout, by the way, which positively impact your attitude, are totally under your control. One way to stay more positive is to consistently and deliberately focus your mind on things within your control.

We all go through attitude peaks and valleys.  Top performing sales and service people find ways to stay more positive more often.  Here are some of their keys to keeping the right attitude, which is a critical element of driving strong performance:

• Set short-term goals.  Have you ever noticed a correlation between positive people and goal-oriented people?  We know a top performing salesperson (who works primarily by phone) who loves coffee. He doesn’t let himself have his first cup of coffee in the morning until he makes his first sale.  Top people set weekly, daily, and sometimes even hourly activity goals, and they keep score.

• Choose your friends wisely.  Attitude is contagious.  You will think more like the people you spend time with in both your personal and professional life.  Do your best to avoid the Johnny Hard Lucks and the Sally Bad Newses out there. Much of what impacts our attitude happens over coffee, at the water cooler, or over lunch.  Find the positive and productive people in your life and eat lunch with them.

• Think about the big picture.  Often it’s the little things that can negatively impact our attitude.  Should we really worry that much about the traffic, the weather, or about that email we just read from a co-worker?  Why do you work so hard? It’s usually to achieve something pretty great…the big stuff. Do you want the next promotion; are you motivated to provide for your family; are you excited about that dream vacation; or are you saving for retirement?  Keep regular, visible reminders of the big things you are looking to achieve. A top performing sales leader keeps pictures of his wife and two sons in between his keyboard and his monitor, which reminds him to work hard and stay positive all day.

Focus on what’s under your control, set short-term goals, choose the right friends, and think big picture.  Your attitude and performance will reach new heights! Drive hard the whole year!