You know the feeling when you have everything under control. You're on the top of the world.
You also know that OTHER feeling, don't you - when things feel like they are spiraling out of control.
What IS control, anyway, and who ever told us we had any? What is real and what is imagined?
For a good list of what you CAN control right now, I like this one with 50 things by Lori Deschene.
In addition to control, there are other things you can manage about yourself.
As a sales professional, you cannot rely on others managing you - you need to self manage. This means that even when you have a poorly suited manager and are getting little direction from leadership - you can work to direct yourself.
Hopefully you have a great manager and leadership in your company with lots of direction, vision, and goals clearly stated.
If not:
Create a plan - guidelines - and metrics. Think of yourself as an entrepreneur of your territory, or niche, or product line. Don't let poor management stop you from being a great seller. If you cannot succeed with the leadership (or lack of) that you have at your company, you may need to leave.
Lifehack posted 12 Rules for Self-Management that are a good guide and get you to think about who you want people to know you as.
Ultimately, self-management is about making decisions, commitments, and plans that you stick to, and about deciding who it is you want to be. Feeling out of control and not having enough time to get everything done are the biggest issues many sales reps have.
Get-it-Done (GTD) guru David Allen suggests that you shift your perspective to gain clarity.
How difficult will it be for you to manage what you set out to accomplish today and this week?
Can you count on yourself to come through?
Lori Richardson is recognized as one of the "Top 25 Sales Influencers for 2013" and one of "20 Women to Watch in Sales Lead Management for 2013". Lori speaks, writes, trains, and consults with inside and outbound sellers in technology and services companies. Subscribe to the award-winning blog and the “Sales Ideas In A Minute” newsletter for sales strategies, tactics, and tips in selling. Increase Opportunities. Expand Your Pipeline. Close More Deals.
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