In simplifying our communications, we tend to isolate topics. It’s easier to talk about Constructing Insight just by focusing on that. Or likewise for Influence, Trust, and any number of topics on increasing our ability to connect with our customers.
In reality, we can’t isolate these topics, none stands alone, each is required, each strengthens the other.
We seek to influence our customers’ decisions, getting them to choose to change and to choose us their partner in moving forward. We’ve seen our efforts to influence and persuade others fail when we push or pitch our solutions.
Or we are trying to provide Insights, but we aren’t able to engage the customer in anything but an intellectual discussion. Or we try to create Value, or we try…….
We work to establish Trust. But Trust is really based on our performance—what we’ve communicated, that we’ve delivered on our commitments, that we’ve created value in the relationship, that we have conducted ourselves with integrity, and so forth (For a quick tutorial on the Trust Equation, see Charlie Green’s The Trust Equation Primer.)
But we don’t do these independently. They don’t deliver Insights, at least with impact, without Trust. We don’t create Value without Insight. We don’t Influence without Trust and Insight.
It’s easy to isolate each of these, focusing on each as the be all, end all in sales performance. In reality we need all at the same time.
To perform at the highest levels, we have to do everything. We have to sharpen every ability we have, realizing none works in isolation.
Are you focusing on your entire performance? Are you looking to improve all your abilities?
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