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You may have noticed a shift.
As political pageantry and divisiveness fester, one thing remains clear.
Respect has left officially the building.
Disrespect and disdain weren’t born yesterday but now shine brighter than they have in awhile.
But just because discord’s become the name of the game, doesn’t mean you have to play.
Now more than ever – Respect is king.
Truth Be Told
There have been truckloads of anecdotes written and recorded on Sales.
And despite miles of How To sales material, you won’t find much about Respect.
…..
I’ll admit, I didn’t always respect my clients.
Maybe it was the B2C/ SMB environment I cut my teeth in or more likely, I was just too young and dumb to know any better.
In the beginning, I was just about closing and commission.
I took shortcuts and didn’t always put my prospects’ needs first.
Shamefully, respect took a backseat.
Respectful Maneuvers in the Dark
Being respectful isn’t just about courtesy in conversation and written communication.
Respect is our attitude, demeanor, humility and grace.
It’s the framework of the system from which we operate.
It’s a belief that the people we serve are worthy and on an equal plane.
They deserve our best in every aspect of the sales process – even when no one’s watching.
…..
Understandably, running your own head 100% of the time ain’t east.
We all slip.
But ultimately, how others see us is a reflection of how we see ourselves.
The respect we give is the respect we receive.
There is No Respect for Others Without Humility in One’s Self – Henri Amiel
It’s 2020.
Toxicity’s way UP.
The I Before All, Me-1st Movement is in full effect with no apparent signs of slowing down.
And if we’re not careful, we might unwittingly stray from being the solution to becoming part of the problem.
For sure, Sales can be hard.
It’s intense, frustrating and rewarding all at the same time.
But we still have to maintain our composure despite the current state of affairs.
And though it may not seem like it in the moment.
Showing respect will get us farther in Sales and further in life.
Sign of the Times
At least once every couple of weeks, I’m reminded of this in my interactions with prospects, clients and team members.
Those who may have ghosted me come back, some thank me for going the extra mile, others are pleasantly-surprised with someone in Sales actually keeping their word, or a team member appreciates how I hold their feet to the fire while still respecting their time and effort.
“Respecting someone indicates the quality of your personality” – Mohammad Rishad Sakhi
It’s positively contagious and the basis for reciprocity.
…..
I know…
It’s tumultuous AF out there.
Companies are lacking budgets, bandwidth and falling like dominoes.
Meanwhile, the current COVID climate makes it easier to toss respect out the window and just look out for number one.
Reverse the Nike mantra and Don’t Do It.
Remain steadfast and double down on due diligence instead.
Respect may be short in supply…
But we should still strive to be exceptional in the face of adversity.