Every Brain is Different!

Credit: Bill Gillespie

People’s brains process data differently. I don’t think this is something we get to choose. The way we see, hear, screen and process stuff is unique to each of us.

My wife loves artsy, crafty stores. They aren’t necessarily my thing. But…I’ve been married 49 years so I know how to go along. You can’t be married that long without some selling.

To me, the stores are sensory overload. A billion data points (stimuli) are trying to enter my brain all at once. I see finished products, smell candles burning and hear background music.

Her Ladyship sees every button, ribbon and bow. She studies how each item is made. The store is an “idea lab” for her. The visit puts her creative gears in motion.

I watched the same thing with my kids. My daughter is big picture. Her focus is on the goal. She cares about the process and certainly has opinions, but that isn’t the main thing.

My son, on the other hand, has to know how everything works. He dissects every detail. The steps and the process are there for a reason. He studies and understands each one. He’s unlikely to proceed until he has digested everything and arrived at a plan.

Both are successful. Both are smart. Both are committed to doing good work.

I had to make room for this as a sales leader. It wasn’t automatic for me either. I was big picture like my daughter. I could see the possibilities and was anxious to get started. I was very much “Ready Fire Aim.”

I ran off lots of good reps. I didn’t mean to. I was immature and pressured them to be more like me. If they would just do things the way I said they would be successful too. I was wrong!

People’s brains process data differently. They arrive at the point of action along a different path. Who can say one way is better than another? Every viewpoint matters.

Years ago I worked for one of the printing industry consolidators. A process expert gave a group of us an object lesson. We were stranded on the moon. A number of items had survived the crash. We were to rank them in order of importance to our survival. We were asked to complete the exercise individually. Then, we were asked to complete it again in groups.

The group scores were much higher than individual results. That is to say, collaboration (making room for other opinions) improved scores. Everyone had something to contribute to success.

Getting my head wrapped around that idea improved sales performance. The teams I was privileged to lead put up better numbers when I let them be who they are. I learned to let their process be their process. I focused on helping (situational guidance) rather than directing.

A funny thing happens when you do that. The reps are validated. They can tell they’re being heard. They feel like more than ATM machines.

Validated reps sell more stuff. Validated reps sell at higher prices. Validated reps are more loyal.

Pro Tip: Your first line of customers is your sales staff. Involve them. Hear them. Validate them. Celebrate their differences. They’ll treat your company like their own if you do. They’ll sell more stuff.

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with Printing Impressions. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Printing Impressions. Artificial Intelligence may have been used in part to create or edit this content.