WHAT DOES A MARSHMALLOW EXPERIMENT have to do with sales success? That’s exactly what I wondered when Colleen Stanley started talking at the sales conference about a study where kids were told they could have one marshmallow now or two if they’d wait a few minutes.
As it turns out, their ability to delay immediate gratification had a huge impact on their success in school. And, as Colleen explained, salespeople who avoid premature closing succeed much more often than those who can’t.
Whoa! I thought. This lady is onto something. Then, when she started talking about the multiple aspects of emotional intelligence (EI), I knew she’d found the “missing link.”
Salespeople with low EI frequently sabotage themselves, even after the best sales training in the world. At the same time, their peers with both high intrapersonal and interpersonal EI consistently outperform others.
Turns out that these “soft skills,” which have so long been pooh-poohed by the business community, are much more than just warm fuzzies. Instead of being of little consequence, they’re big-time significant.
Recently I spoke to a group of talented young sales professionals. Real go-getters. They had a track record of success prior to getting the job at this high growth company. The CEO asked me to speak about my early years in sales—something I hadn’t thought about for a long time.
As I reflected on my first sales job at Xerox, I was amazed at the emotion that kept popping into my mind—fear! To start with, I was afraid I wouldn’t make it in sales. Then, I worried about making my quota. After I’d succeeded in that, I feared that I couldn’t replicate the success monthly. When I was promoted into major accounts, I was concerned that what I’d learned wouldn’t translate to these big companies.
When I told the young reps about my angst, every one of their heads were bobbing ever-so-slightly in agreement. They knew what I meant. They felt the fear.
I believe that my ability to deal with the fear was a key factor in my success in this profession. Fortunately, I had the skills to do it myself. Otherwise, I suspect I’d be like the many people who “try” sales and discover it just isn’t for them.
But that’s just one aspect of EI. Here’s another: At the start of my sales career, I wasn’t good at working with people who weren’t like me. I thought some were dense because they just didn’t get it. Others were painfully slow, anal-retentive decision makers. The demanding jerks and nonstop talkers drove me crazy too. Aargh!
I had to learn how to deal with all these different types of people. It was hard. There were times I blew it badly, but ultimately I got good at it.
That’s the best part. Emotional intelligence can be learned. In Emotional Intelligence for Sales Success, Colleen shows you how to discover your own EI challenges. I think we all have room for growth in this area. (While I’d love to say I’ve mastered all the EI skills, the truth is, I’m still working on a couple things.) Plus, you’ll find tons of strategies in here that you can use right away to strengthen your own EI.
One last thing. Increasing EI has significant financial payback for individuals and teams. Sales revenues go up. Turnover is reduced. Customers buy more and refer more. But don’t take my word on it. Get reading!
JILL KONRATH
Author, SNAP Selling and Selling to Big Companies