Since March 12, this pandemic has worn on us all, taking away many simple pleasures in life. We get pounded every day by the media talking COVID-19 spikes, death counts, and overall gloom and doom. We watch nasty arguments between our “friends” going back and forth on social media. Our social life is severely restricted, and we have to make sure we have the required number of masks in our car before pulling out of our driveway.
All this negativity is providing a whole new set of socially accepted excuses and commiseration for sales teams:
“I would be successful if it weren’t for COVID-19.”
“No one is buying due to COVID-19.”
“I was doing great before COVID-19.”
“This Zoom stuff is horrible! I can’t build relationships unless I can get face to face!”
How do we combat all this negativity and socially accepted excuses?
First, we have to understand “this too, shall pass.”
During these challenging times, we must work to increase our “psychological” stamina. Stay away from the news and negative people and remember, while the virus may pass, our new way of doing business virtually may never entirely go back to the way things were.
Then, we must strive to make the “New Normal” the “Better Normal.” Every article I have read on staying positive during a pandemic starts with focusing on what you can control. What you can control is your attitude and the development of your skills. I think Tom Peters said it best:
“Being good is a stupid idea. The only thing that counts is getting better at a more rapid rate than your principal competitors.
“It’s real simple: if you are not able to do more, better and faster than THEY are able to do more, better and faster, then you are getting LESS BETTER or MORE WORSE.”
You may have been good before COVID-19, and now you are struggling. What happened? Did you make the necessary adjustments?
Everything in life is in motion. Nothing is permanent. Not the good times, nor the bad times. Good can go bad in a hurry. Good is not a permanent place. Neither is great. Neither is bad. Category leaders like Circuit City, Blockbuster Video, and Borders are gone to bankruptcy. Other former category leaders like Blackberry and MySpace are on a respirator. And none of them had to deal with COVID-19!
Our motto is, “Don’t just accept it, perfect it!” To lay the groundwork for the “Better Normal” make the following a priority, whether a leader or a salesperson:
Have a positive attitude. Attitude is the gate to the mind and is the key driver allowing you to learn, adapt, and align to create a Better Normal.
Hold yourself accountable. For your successes, for your failures. Make the necessary adjustments to put yourself and your team in position to be successful. COVID-19 cannot be a socially accepted excuse. If so, it will become a virus that infiltrates the performance of you and your company.
Invest in your skills development. Ask yourself, are you getting better at a more rapid rate than your principal competitors? Are you virtual savvy? From a sales perspective? From a leadership perspective? From a communication perspective?
Commit to the right habits. We are all CEOs of our own life and work. Every day we make or fail to make executive decisions that have immediate as well as far-reaching consequences. If new client acquisition is a priority, you will need to invest in developing the virtual skills to make it a habit. If it is not, then potentially, developing socially accepted excuses will be your habit.
At the end of the day, let’s face it; you are either part of the solution or part of the problem. There is no middle ground. You are either accepting the socially accepted excuses associated with COVID-19 or you are seeing it as a unique opportunity to raise your skillset and pivot where appropriate.
At Butler Street, we believe that leaders have the power of 10. Leveraging our Leadership Effectiveness or High-Impact Management virtual training programs will prepare your leaders, and your company to be part of the solution! Winning breeds winning. “Don’t just accept it, perfect it!” We can help! Contact us and let’s talk about how we can help your company grow during these challenging times.
