It's not IF, it's WHEN.
During my 18-year career in the promo space, I have experienced countless moments of wrong logos, missed ship dates, excess overruns, and undercounted quantities. Some are laughable. Some make me want to cry. Most left me shaking my head (re: when the vendor printed the line "CUSTOMER LOGO CENTERED ON PEN").
Each of these situations made me stronger and far more capable, instilled greater confidence, and taught me how to overcome adversity. You see, in these moments of trial and challenge, we must often be at our most creative. A real-life example includes a time when a customer needed a rush shipment delivered for an event. I'll never forget Brad and me working (from home) with the shipping company to coordinate pick up for Brad to then hand deliver the items to the customer's home at 8:30 pm on a Friday night.
When things go wrong, we grow up. We learn how to take accountability for any aspect of what we could do differently next time. Regardless of who is at fault and regardless of what role you play in your organization, as salespeople, leaders, support team, and/or managers, we are ultimately always responsible. It's a hard load to bear. So often, salespeople are riddled with anxiety. Their hardest challenge is often what makes them so successful.
So, when things go wrong, the easiest way to navigate the situation is always the most honest one. Transparency is not a new concept. However, I'm shocked by how often I encounter someone quick to place blame or, even worse, fluff their way through excuses. We all see through it, so truly, what's the point? Let's be upfront. Let's take accountability and ownership when things go off the rails. Let's get creative with our problem-solving. And for the love of all things promo, please never call me with a problem without at least two to three possible solutions! Because the reality is that it's not if things will go wrong. It is a matter of when they will go wrong. How we respond can and will make or break a relationship and partnership.
How do you stay positive in the face of challenges beyond your control?
#dreambigbrandbig #motivation #salesadvice
