The definition of resilience: to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change. I think we can all agree we would like to be more resilient in our business.
Setbacks can impact our confidence, and our bank account in big ways.
I recently finished Option B by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant. This is a book about overcoming adversity, finding joy, and being resilient. I grabbed it and thought, “Awesome this will be a pick me up!” It’s a book about Sheryl working through the sudden death of her husband. But WOW, what an amazing work.
To overcome adversity, we must understand that adversity isn’t permanent, pervasive, or personal.
- Whatever situation you are in, it isn’t permanent.
My first summer as a sales manager with Cutco had high hopes. I was supposed to be one of the brightest stars. My first month, my team sold $0. And no, I’m not missing any numbers. Dead last in the country. But this was not permanent. This was in May, and by August, we were the #3 team in the country amongst first-time offices.
This past year, one of my previous clients had a HUGE setback with her team. It seemed like she might never reach the big goal she had set a few years back, but she stuck with it. Her team overcame the adversity and they reached the big goal this past month, in what I would call at least 6 months ahead of schedule.
The adversity of the summer was not permanent.
- The adversity is not pervasive.
One of our clients, Donna, was hit by the hurricane in Texas pretty hard. She said, “How do I run my business when my friends, family, and community are devastated?” I shared with her that we all have different parts of our lives. It’s like a table with 4 legs. There is a friends/family leg, a personal leg, a faith leg, and a business leg, in her case. Even if one leg goes out, the table can still stand. But if you let two legs go out, the table falls. I advised her to serve people through her business.
She doubled her results that month despite the devastation. Adversity doesn’t have to seep through every area of your life.
- Failure is not 100% personal
This is a hard one for me. I constantly look back and say, “If I would have just…” It’s hard to balance ownership of a loss, without blaming ourselves. But each screw up is made of many moments and it’s not your fault. Much like that famous scene in Good Will Hunting.
So, friends, what are we to do now?
Since failure is not permanent, we need to set new goals, new actions and write a new end to the story. The book is not even close to done being written.
Since failure is not pervasive we need to find joy in other aspects of our lives. And don’t feel guilty. Leadership adversity? Help a customer! No sale? Get some referrals.
Since failure is not personal, reframe your thoughts. Instead of, “I failed to hit rank” we can change that to, “Last month our team did not make enough sales to reach that particular rank.” This change in thought provides hope that next month can be different.
We are all a work in progress. We can be more resilient. In business and in life, it is the resilient ones that will win.
Thank you for reading today’s post.
If you are ready to take the next steps in your business and want to chat about coaching programs on sales, recruiting, or leadership, to COACHPLEASE (one word) to 44222, and one of our really nice Sales and Leadership Coaches will reach out to you.