No one questions the wisdom of going to a doctor for an annual physical to prevent disease. Early diagnosis, as we all know, enables early intervention and proper prescriptive medical treatment for disease. Since this is true for physical health, why with all the personal development analysis tools available today, don’t we get regular behavioral check-ups?
If a family member had an illness, we would want to ensure they received immediate care. In sales, we should know how “to treat” the concerns of our customers. To do this, we need to have an understanding of what influences our behavior and that of customers.
Here is a case in point. Recent changes in national healthcare legislation had left the Director of Respiratory Health with a financially strapped department. At the same time, this manager was under significant stress due to a family crisis. A sales rep the manager needed to deal with had his own set of issues: His professional problem involved the resolution of a customer’s lost cylinder report, but personally he was worried about his mother’s failing health. Neither party was aware of the personal matters impacting their professional actions. In these situations, what is the best way to keep everything in check to achieve the best possible business outcome?
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