| "Selling worth doing is worth doing badly
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| | again. Crawling for the rest of their
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| ... at first!"
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| | lives is never an option - they are going
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| ~ Gavin Ingham, 2002Have you ever wanted
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| | to walk just like the rest of us. It's a
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| to learn something new but just found it
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| | certainty. Yet as adults we're not so
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| too difficult? Or started something but
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| | resilient. We don't tend to push, push,
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| gave up because you just couldn't get the
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| | push our limitations. Infact there are
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| hang of it? Or maybe you just find the
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| | many people who, even with the weight of
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| thought of ringing new clients far too
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| | the medical establishment behind them,
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| scary? Perhaps you sometimes get great
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| | fail to teach themselves to walk again
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| results but don't know what you're doing
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| | properly after an accident even though
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| differently? Could you be stuck in your
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| | physically they could. Somehow life and
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| ways?If any of these could possibly be
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| | growing up seems to programme us to not
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| true then this article is for
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| | try as hard.There might be many reasons
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| you.Everyone would agree that the ability
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| | for this however I think that one of them
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| to learn, understand and utilise new
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| | is the perpetuation of the win / lose
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| information, strategies and behaviours is
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| | culture in our society. There can only be
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| important particularly with a topic such
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| | one winner and for every winner there
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| as sales where you may well have tried
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| | must be a whole group of losers. You
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| before with limited success. In order to
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| | often cannot win unless you've beaten
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| help this process it is important to
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| | someone else. Now don't get me wrong I do
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| understand the learning process itself
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| | not subscribe to the no competition
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| and the stages through which we develop
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| | brigade - that's just sop - what I do
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| new skills, behaviours or
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| | believe however is that we should create
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| attitudes.Whenever we learn anything new
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| | ways for us to win by being the best that
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| we go through 5 steps.Sometimes we will
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| | we can be. In cold calling many
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| do this so quickly that we may be unaware
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| | salespeople set unrealistic targets that
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| of the process whereas other times we may
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| | they are never going to hit because they
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| be made much more aware of the process by
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| | have benchmarked someone else. Had they
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| our emotions. Understanding this process,
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| | benchmarked themselves they would have
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| why we do it, the pitfalls and the
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| | found that they were winning all along.On
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| strengths will allow you to maximise your
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| | the other side of the coin we need to
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| learning capabilities.Step 1) Unconscious
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| | realise that everything in life is a
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| Incompetence. You are unaware of what you
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| | learning experience. Eddison's much hyped
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| don't know. You don't know all that you
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| | quote as he failed to invent the light
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| don't know!Step 2) Conscious
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| | bulb for the umpteenth time was that he
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| Incompetence. You become aware of what
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| | had eliminated another way to not make a
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| you don't know. You're ignorant and you
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| | light-bulb! In sales we have to accept
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| know you are!Step 3) Conscious
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| | that we will continue to be put through
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| Competence. You become aware of how to do
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| | the learning experience for the whole of
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| things properly. You can do something but
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| | our career. As a director, author,
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| you have to be concentrating on it.Step
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| | business owner and sometime sales guru
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| 4) Unconscious Competence. You are
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| | (!) I believe my sales ability to be a
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| unaware of how you do things you know.
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| | real asset to my business however I am
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| You do things without even thinking about
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| | constantly put through learning
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| it!I think one of the best ways to really
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| | experiences. And I wouldn't want it to be
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| understand this process is to consider a
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| | any other way. My feelings as yours are
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| specific situation such as learning to
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| | telling me something. They are reminding
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| drive. Do you remember learning to drive?
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| | me to be prepared to practise and to make
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| I think that most of us do! It was for
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| | sure that I am at the top of my game.So
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| most of us a fairly sizeable landmark in
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| | how do we break through from conscious
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| our lives so it tends to stick in our
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| | incompetence to conscious
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| memories! I certainly remember learning
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| | competence?Persistence.
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| to drive! Like most teenage lads it meant
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| | Determination.
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| a lot to me - freedom, adulthood and sex
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| | Self-belief.
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| appeal!On my 17th birthday I dragged my
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| | Drive.
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| mother out to the car and hopped in to
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| | Tenacity.
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| have a go. I knew that I would be able to
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| | Repetition.
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| drive! I had been watching others for
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| | Add your own here!!!But if I was to say
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| months in preparation - this was going to
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| | to you, "Hey look! Just go out there and
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| be easy! How unconsciously incompetent
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| | be tenacious, persistent, determined and
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| was I?! I was totally ignorant of how
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| | have drive!" you'd tell me to tell you
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| difficult this was actually going to be!
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| | something that you didn't know! And quite
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| Ah well, ignorance is bliss. Easing into
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| | rightly so! Because we all know that this
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| the seat I grasped the wheel, started the
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| | is what's required - it's maintaining it
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| engine, depressed the clutch, punched the
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| | that's the challenge.I was reminded of
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| accelerator and ... stalled the car! Not
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| | this when I first started sales coaching.
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| deterred I had another go ... same
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| | I was working with a client who had a
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| result. Another ... another ...
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| | small telesales team. Two of his staff
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| another.Suddenly I was overtaken by the
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| | were organising a campaign focused on a
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| dawning recognition that this was going
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| | specific niche market. They were targeted
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| to be really difficult and challenging.
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| | to make 100+ outbound calls per day, to
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| Welcome to conscious incompetence! Gavin
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| | speak to 25 decision-makers and to
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| you're useless and you know you are! But
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| | organise at least 2 interviews. For the
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| I was determined to learn to drive so I
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| | market they were working in this was
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| persevered and practised. After a lot of
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| | about average. One of them was very
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| heartache and effort I eventually reached
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| | positive and was consistently surpassing
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| the point where, if I could maintain my
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| | his target. He was a joy in the office
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| concentration, I was actually quite a
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| | and great to have on the team. The other
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| proficient driver. Now I don't know if
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| | however was really struggling, not good
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| you remember your driving test? I do.
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| | around the office and mostly fairly
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| There was so much to concentrate on
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| | negative. I wasn't specifically working
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| wasn't there! Keeping your hands at 10 to
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| | with these chaps and therefore hadn't
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| two, mirror, signal, manoeuvre, the
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| | really spoken with them much but we had
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| examiner, the speed limit, the road signs
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| | been introduced. One afternoon as I was
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| and that's without mentioning the other
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| | sitting there I found myself alone with
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| road users! Remember taking your test and
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| | the chap who wasn't doing so well. I
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| that's probably a fair gauge of conscious
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| | asked him what he was doing and how it
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| competence!"Now you really go out and
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| | was going. He turned to me, scowled and
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| learn to drive!" That's what everybody
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| | said, "I'm cold calling, what's it look
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| said to me when I passed my test and they
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| | like! It's awful!" Needless to say I left
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| weren't wrong. Your whole concept of
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| | him alone.About half an hour later the
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| driving changes. You don't have to focus
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| | other chap went to make a coffee so on a
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| on every little detail all of the time
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| | whim I followed him determined to ask him
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| infact you might not have to think about
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| | the same question. As I asked him he
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| it all. Have you ever driven somewhere
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| | turned to me and smiled, "I'm developing
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| got out the car and thought ... how did I
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| | an new and essential part of the
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| get here? I don't even remember driving
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| | business. This project is going to get me
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| here. Welcome to unconscious competence!
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| | into major account sales and get me
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| Fabulous the way that the brain works
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| | noticed within the company. I should be
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| isn't it!Being able to operate at
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| | promoted within 6 months. It's hard work
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| unconscious competence clearly has many
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| | but I know that it will be worth it!"
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| advantages. We're able to multitask, we
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| | Interesting! Same job, same opportunity,
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| generally operate fluidly and easily,
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| | same potential clients, same products -
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| it's within our comfort zone, it's stress
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| | totally different meaning.The meaning we
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| free, it's the way we do things and for
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| | attach to things determines the impact
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| most people we spend the vast amount of
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| | that they have on us. When you attach a
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| out lives here. Just think about it for a
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| | strong personal meaning you don't have to
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| moment. How many things do you now do
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| | remind yourself to be motivated or
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| that you once had to think about
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| | persistent, you just are. The successful
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| consciously. Walking, talking, picking
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| | sales professional in the above example
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| things up, bodily awareness, writing,
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| | doesn't constantly have to harry himself
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| driving are all great examples but we
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| | to be motivated because he knows why he
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| also become unconsciously competent at
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| | is doing the cold-calling and he knows
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| responding to certain stimulus in certain
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| | what it means for him. He'll still have
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| ways. If I were to walk into your office
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| | days when he feels less motivated,
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| and say, "Right! Time to make 100
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| | outside his comfort zone, challenged and
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| cold-calls" you'd probably be
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| | uncomfortable but he will view them
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| unconsciously competent at producing a
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| | differently because he will accept them
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| feeling and a response. Maybe not a very
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| | as part of the essential development
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| nice one! When a client snarls, "That's
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| | process on his journey to
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| too expensive, you must be having a
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| | success.Exercise: Take a moment to review
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| laugh!" chances are that you will also be
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| | your goals. When you've done this make
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| unconsciously competent at producing an
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| | note of why setting up client meetings
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| emotional reaction.So unconscious
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| | plays a vital part in helping you to
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| competence does have disadvantages too.
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| | proactively achieve these goals. If one
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| We are unconscious or unaware of our
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| | of your goals is materialistic, try
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| responses or our behaviours therefore we
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| | getting a picture of it and sticking it
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| may gradually change what we are doing
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| | by your phone. Every time you make a call
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| and be unaware of it. We may find it very
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| | think to yourself - "one step
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| difficult to teach others our skills
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| | closer!".Top Tips for the 5 Steps to
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| because we are not aware of how we put
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| | Sales Success1. Look around at what you
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| them together. Maybe we continue to do
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| | habitually do and how you habitually
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| things in a way that used to be
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| | react once in a while.2. Most things
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| unconsciously competent but external
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| | worth learning will feel uncomfortable or
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| changes now mean that what we are doing
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| | challenging at some point.3. Practise,
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| is now wrong. And here's the challenge
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| | practise, practise!4. It takes several
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| and the danger of unconscious competence.
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| | week's worth of telesales to beat your
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| When does unconscious competence become
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| | fear.5. Challenge yourself one step at a
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| unconscious incompetence? It's very
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| | time."But Gavin - you said there were 5
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| difficult to say for sure because the one
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| | steps."Correct. And in my opinion there
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| commonality between the two is that we
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| | are.I have been teaching the 4 steps to
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| are unconscious!Reacting in a certain way
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| | success now for several years and in
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| to a certain stimulus may be right for
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| | several different forms and I have used
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| one situation but it may be wrong for
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| | it successfully in individual coaching
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| another. Take the example above of the
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| | sessions with both myself and others.
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| snarling client. Many salespeople would
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| | Powerful as I know that it is I believe
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| feel frustrated and angry without having
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| | that the fundamental construct has
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| to think about it. When we unconsciously
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| | inherent challenges...If many times we
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| learned this response there may well have
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| | find ourselves back at unconscious
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| been good reasons for it however I'd
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| | incompetence despite our best efforts or
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| suggest that if you want to be a sales
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| | we have to keep dropping back to
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| superstar then this kind of reaction is
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| | conscious competence to check ourselves
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| unconscious incompetence. One of my first
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| | then we are performing below our
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| clients used to frequently tell his
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| | potential. There must be a better
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| salespeople that they should sell
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| | way...Step 5) Mastery. Mastery is
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| products that were a 50% match and that
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| | something more than unconscious
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| if they couldn't they were bad
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| | competence - it has an extra, somewhat
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| salespeople. Maybe in his day the clients
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| | mystical quality. It's the sort of state
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| were happy with this kind of product but
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| | that most of us only experience once or
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| in today's competitive markets they
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| | twice in a lifetime - you probably never
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| certainly would not be! Maybe this boss
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| | quite know how to describe it. Top
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| was once unconsciously competent but
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| | athletes would call it being in the zone.
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| changing market conditions, changing
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| | I remember the first time I saw it in
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| client attitudes and his lack of
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| | action. I was nearly 13 and the athlete
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| flexibility had left him unconsciously
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| | in question was Sebastian Coe. He smashed
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| incompetent. Most dangerous of all was
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| | the world record for 800m running 1
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| the fact that everyone in the business
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| | minute 41.72 seconds, a time nearly two
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| knew it but him!So it's clear that if we
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| | seconds faster than the next fastest
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| are doing things unconsciously we need to
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| | person ever. But it wasn't the time - it
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| periodically step back and have a look
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| | was the way that he ran it. Majestic,
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| around to see if what we are doing makes
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| | graceful, relaxed. He made it look easy!
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| sense and is getting us the results that
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| | Of that race Seb himself said,"Other
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| we want. If it is great, if it's not -
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| | sportsmen say there are moments when they
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| change it for something that does
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| | are outside themselves, watching from the
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| work.But if unconscious is where most of
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| | stand, as it were, and I've only
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| us are most of the time conscious
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| | experienced that in the 800 metres."I
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| incompetence is what most of us try to
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| | believe that we all have the potential to
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| avoid at all costs. When you are learning
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| | enter this state if only momentarily and
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| a new skill or behaviour and you reach
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| | I believe that this is the state that top
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| conscious competence how does it feel?
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| | salespeople reach when they are playing
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| Take a bit of time to think about it.
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| | their best possible game. When I present,
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| Typical associations with unconscious
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| | this is what I strive for and, having
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| competence are feelings of stress,
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| | achieved it a few times, I can say no
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| frustration, challenge, obstacles, pain,
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| | more than that once you taste it you know
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| outside your comfort zone, lack of
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| | that you have the tools to recreate it
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| control, uncomfortable, fear and
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| | and become the best that you can possible
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| uncertainty. When we think about ringing
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| | be.Exercise: Describe what cold calling
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| new clients on the phone this will often
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| | will be like when you achieve a state of
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| occur the moment that you step outside of
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| | mastery? What will you be doing? Feeling?
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| your comfort zone and have a go. Indeed
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| | Thinking? What is the one most important
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| this barrier is so great for many people
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| | thing that you need to learn to help you
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| that they would rather give up than
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| | to move towards mastery right now?For the
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| actually break through. But the human
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| | last 10 years, Gavin Ingham has been
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| mind is a clever animal and it won't
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| | helping sales people to explode their
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| punish you for this - nope! It will give
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| | sales performance by turning self-doubt,
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| you reasons, other things to do. It will
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| | fear and lack of motivation into
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| rationalise, explain and help you to feel
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| | self-belief, confidence and action. With
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| OK. As you slip back to unconscious
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| | his inspirational approach to sales
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| incompetence you will feel perfectly
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| | performance and motivation Gavin combines
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| great because ignorance is bliss!To
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| | commercial experience, personal
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| achieve anything worthwhile you must
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| | excellence and communications
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| break through this barrier. And you can!
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| | technologies in delivering personal and
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| As children we achieved some absolutely
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| | business sales success.Visit now to join
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| amazing feats. One of the most impressive
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| | my free monthly newsletter packed full of
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| was learning to walk. How many times do
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| | sales secrets and strategies. Join now
|
| toddlers fall over? Thousands and
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| | and get my ground-breaking 9-part
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| thousands but the one thing that you can
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| | objection handling course absolutely
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| count on is that they always get back up
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| | free.
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