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Why Admitting It’s All Your Fault Is Best For Growth, Tom Tonkin

Podcast Template

  • PhD Organizational Leadership

  • Former professor

  • Was in sales before he got into scholarship

  • Did well in sales for 12 years

  • He wanted to leave a legacy, so he switched from selling to scholarship

  • Are you a sales professional or someone who sells?

  • “It’s all my fault.” That means I own the solution.

  • If it’s all “their” fault, then they own the solution, so I’m trapped and I’ve smuggled away the solution to my problem.

Related episodes and posts

  • “If you think we are too expensive then I have done a terrible job of explaining the value we offer.” (Or the customer doesn’t need what I’m selling.)

  • 100% of the time, I have an action to take.

  • We feed our negative feelings too well

  • If you’re not making quota, you’re probably not going to get into a sales leadership position

  • Bring in an outside person as a manager if you want to change the culture

  • Your organization is thriving if the top salespeople are earning more than the manager

  • Stress the emotional part of the sale, especially in real estate

    • Go see their current home

    • Go room to room

    • Ask them questions about their current home and the layout and their feelings about each room

  • Get better at discovery calls

  • Get to the emotions

  • Understand their motives

  • People get wound up on the answer when they’re shopping

    • Don’t say, “What is it that you hate?”

    • Ask, “How did you come to that conclusion?”

  • 91% of all job separations are due to cultural issues

  • 9% are due to skills

  • Too many people interview their new hires on the 9%

  • His past sales manager would ask salespeople who had expensive hobbies

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