Cutting Edge

“If I had 6 hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first 4 hours sharpening the ax.” – Abraham Lincoln

It happens slowly, but realized suddenly.

It’s the salesperson who has not READ a book since college.

It’s the physician who doesn’t take time to EXERCISE.

It’s the retiree who lost their ENTHUSIASM for living.

Drift happens.

Skills dull.

Bodies become soft.

Attitudes get stale.

Our MINDSET can become more dated than our crazy Uncle Pete’s wardrobe.

To stay RELEVANT, we have to keep our BODY, MINDS, & SPIRIT sharp.

This week we conclude a series on the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Habit #7: Sharpen the Saw.

Sharpening the Saw means you make it a PRIORITY to keep your:

MIND sharp.
BODY strong.
SPIRT unbreakable.

Sharpening the Saw is the M.V.H. – Most Valuable Habit.

Why?

It makes the other 6 habits possible.

There is no way we can be proactive, think win win, understand others, and synergize if our bodies & minds are dull.

Sharpening the Saw keeps you effective.

Sharpening the Saw keeps you RELEVANT.

To make this habit a reality, you literally have to make it a habit.

3 Ways To Sharpen The Saw:

1) Get Moving (Body)

Find an activity you LOVE.
Walk, hot yoga, spin, or Jiu Jitsu your way into motion.
Schedule that activity 3-4x into your week.
Protect your schedule.

2) Learn 1 New Thing Every Day (Mind):

Read from an inspiring non-fiction book for 10 minutes each morning.
Write the best idea you discovered in a journal.
That journal may become one of your most prized possessions.

3) Show Gratitude (Spirit):

Take 2 minutes before bed to reflect on your day.
Write 1 thing you are grateful for in your journal.
Be as specific as possible.

In his killer new book, “Tools of Titans”, Tim Ferris interviews billionaires, icons, & world-class performers.

Ferris deconstructs their habits, routines, and best practices for the average person to benefit.

One common thread running through each of their stories is their continual commitment to keeping their minds & bodies sharp.

They create routines into their incredibly busy schedules to sharpen their saw.

Saying you are “too busy” or “don’t have the time” is an excuse.

If the General in charge of the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command can find the time to exercise, read, and clear his mind, so can we.

The key is consistency.

As Seth Godin wrote, “Rust never sleeps”.

Stay sharp.

Stay relevant.

#CuttingEdge

-Joe Ciccarone

www.SalesVibe.net

Believe

“Do you believe in miracles?” – Al Michaels

37 years later you can still feel it.

The air inside the building has a presence to it.

You can sense something REMARKABLE happened there.

As you enter Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid NY, you are greeted by 2 amazing images:

A 30 foot photo of the 1980 US Hockey Team diving on captain Mike Eruzione.
A banner hanging in the rafters that states, “Miracles Happen Here.”

Goose bumps…

ESPN ranked the 1980 US Hockey Team’s win over the Soviets as THE GREATEST sporting event of the 20^th Century.

A group of rival college kids, under a drill instructor head coach, defeated the greatest hockey team ever assembled.

They went on to win the GOLD medal.

This MIRACLE was made possible by 1 thing:

Synergy.

This week we continue a series on the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Habit # 6: Synergize

Synergy is defined by the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

Synergy means 1 +1 = 4.

Synergy is everyone following the same script.

The 1980 US Hockey Team may be one of the greatest examples of SYNERGY.

Most of the players on the US Olympic hockey team could NOT even have made the Soviet roster.

But together they found a way to defeat them on the world’s biggest stage.

The reason?

Synergy.

3 SYNERGY Lessons from the 1980 US Hockey Team:

Diversity is a force multiplier: Brooks selected players with different skillsets, back grounds, & perspectives. Great teams are created with diversity.
Trust: Synergy is built on trust. You know the other person has your back. You know they will be there when you need them. No trust, no nothing.
Expect Adversity: Adversity is going to strike. It’s not a matter of if, but when. How you handle adversity determines who you become.

The 1980 US Hockey team SYNERGIZED their way into history.

Helen Keller wrote, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”

Believe In:

Yourself
Your teammates.
Your mission.

Synergize.

And watch the miracles unfold…

-Joe Ciccarone

www.SalesVibe.net

2 Ears & 1 Mouth

“A wise old owl sat on an oak. The more he knew the less he spoke. The less he spoke the more he heard. Why aren’t we like that wise old bird?” – Ernest Hemingway

Early in my sales career I worked for a VP that would personally lead our training sessions.

Her philosophy for a “successful” sales call was for the team to spew out the amazing facts about our product.

We were NOT encouraged to ask questions.

She thought asking questions gave up control of the conversation.

She believed we had a much better chance of connecting and influencing by making strong statements and doing all the talking.

Yikes…

Would you be shocked to learn that despite having some of the most talented, energetic people I ever worked with, this team never hit their quota?

Shocking.

No question, this was a bad idea.

This week we continue with our series on the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Habit #5: Seek First to Understand, Then Be Understood.

What’s one of the worst characteristics of sales people?

For me, it’s listening to respond rather than listening to understand.

The fastest way to connect with another human is by LISTENING.

Listening will separate you from the masses.

3 Killer Phrases to Understand, Before Being Understood:

“So what you’re saying is…”
“From your perspective, you feel that…”
“So what I am hearing is that you think…”

2,000 years ago the stoic philosopher Epictetus wrote, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.”

It takes courage to stand up and speak.

It takes even more to keep quiet and listen.

Listen.

Understand.

Connect.

-Joe Ciccarone

www.SalesVibe.Net

Nix the Selfie

“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.” – Zig Ziglar

This week we continue our series on the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Habit #4: Think Win Win

This concept may be the most difficult of all the habits to implement.

Double that if you are in sales.

Why?

The first 3 habits were about us:

Be Proactive.
Begin With the End in Mind.
Put First Things First.

It’s EASY to think about us.

Sometimes it’s hard to think about others.

This is especially true because the game of sales rewards individual performance.

Thinking “Win Win” means each party benefits from the end result.

Thinking “Win Win” takes CONSIDERATION and EMPATHY.

Contrary to popular belief, sales is not a zero sum game.

The opposite is true.

Elite sales people are COLLABORATIVE.

They see their work through the eyes of their customer.

Elite sales people create results where both sides win.

For you to win, the other person does not have to lose.

You win.

They win.

Each party becomes more.

Give to get.

Make other people look good.

Create an environment where everyone walks away with something to brag about.

Nix the selfie.

Take the group photo.

-Joe Ciccarone