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Pivotal coaching moments in sports are great metaphors for business and life, because we’re all trying to win, make progress, or get to the next level. The best coaches—and the most inspirational speeches—strip away all the distractions and remind us that accomplishing goals is completely possible if we own our greatness.
In this small-town sports film, Matthew McConaughey plays Marshall University’s new football coach, Jack Lengyel, who arrives in the aftermath of a 1970 plane crash that claimed the lives of 75 Marshall team members and boosters. Lengyel encourages his team, telling them that even though they are vastly outmatched, if they play with all their heart, they can never lose, regardless what the scoreboard says. Marshall goes on to win on the final play of the game. The message is clear: accomplishing goals—even difficult ones—is possible when you believe in yourself and your team.
One of the most memorable underdog stories to play out on the international stage, the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team’s improbable victory over the seemingly invincible Soviet team, was made for Hollywood. Kurt Russell is Coach Herb Brooks, who delivers the stirring “This is your time” pregame inspirational speech that sparked the team’s gutsy gold medal run. This is movie offers plenty of inspiration for anyone facing impossible odds.
High school basketball coach Ken Carter (Samuel L. Jackson) benched his entire undefeated team in 1999 due to their collective poor academic performance. His role as a tough, principled mentor has its shining moment when, after a defeat, he tells his team in an inspirational speech that he’s watched them mature into men who have achieved victory within themselves by excelling as students. Coach Carter is a great reminder that success is a journey, not just an end goal.
The pressure is on Coach Gary Gaines (Billy Bob Thornton) and the Permian High School football team to make the playoffs in light of the local community’s high expectations. In his halftime inspirational speech during the final game of what would be an undefeated season, Coach Gaines sheds new light on the true meaning of perfection: being a person of integrity in your relationships.
This Oscar-nominated movie about a small-town Indiana high school basketball team that ends up winning the state championship excels, offering on-the-court lessons about dedication, determination, and redemption. Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) gives an intense pregame speech, imploring his players to forget about winning or losing and instead, play to their potential. If they do that, the results will come. This movie is sure to inspire anyone who believes that hard work, passion, and grit can take you anywhere you want to go.
Newly appointed African-American high school football coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) must lead his team’s first racially integrated season in 1971. Battling lingering racial prejudice from the community while breaking down barriers between his own players, Boone takes his team out to the site of the Battle of Gettysburg to deliver an inspirational speech about unity. This movie sends a powerful message about the importance of supporting each other in accomplishing goals.
These coaches emphasize the value of having heart, sound principles, integrity, unity, and seizing the moment when it’s go time. In sports, and in life, coaching can make all the difference. The next time you find yourself facing adversity, seek inspiration from these examples of great coaching to up your game when it comes to accomplishing goals.
It’s common for people to have misconceptions about any industry or field they haven’t directly experienced, and sales is no exception. Some people may shy away from making a career in sales, because they have preconceived notions of what working in sales is all about. If you’re considering getting into sales, it’s important to have the right information. Here we uncover 10 sales myths—and offer you some sales facts to combat them.
1. One Pitch Fits All
When it comes to sales, one pitch doesn’t fit all. Every prospect has different needs and as such, every pitch must be tailored to suit those unique needs. Positioning your message to suit your customer is critical to landing that sale. Perform your due diligence—research the customer or the market so you can better understand them and communicates in a way that addresses their interests and concerns.
2. Scripts are for Rookies
This is a particularly malicious sales myth. The fact is that preparation is always beneficial. Simply put, it provides the framework for your prospecting campaign. Even seasoned salespeople must practice their pitches. Writing a script will help you to anticipate any questions the customer may have, and it helps to ensure you know the key benefits of the product or service you’re selling.
3. The First Three Minutes Determine the Success of a Sale
While first impressions do count, the first three minutes is not long enough to establish if you’ve closed the deal. Everyone is different, and many customers decide to make a purchase after they’ve grown comfortable with the salesperson. Rather than focusing on any arbitrary time limit suggested by this sales myth—apply that attention to establishing a relationship with the customer by engaging them in conversation and asking them relevant questions to help you better position your pitch.
4. Sales is about Getting People to Buy Things they Don’t Want
Good salesmanship is about connecting people with things they need, not convincing them that they need something they don’t. Great salespeople become great by asking questions and seeking to understand exactly what the customer is looking for so they can provide the best solutions. That’s an important sales fact to repeat often and eagerly.
5. Salespeople Care More about Commissions than about People
This sales myth is just silly. Like anyone, salespeople hope to be successful at what they do, and the fact is you can’t be good at sales if you don’t like and care about people. Great salespeople are passionate about what they do and they love and care about their customers. Good salespeople are concerned about creating satisfied customers—those are the customers who keep coming back.
6. Salespeople are Born, Not Made
With anything in life, commitment and training are key ingredients to becoming successful. While many of your personal traits will prove beneficial to your sales career, training, practice, and ambition are what will ultimately decide your success as a salesperson. In fact, great salespeople pride themselves on maintaining a student mentality—a passion for lifelong learning, growth, and development. You can develop yourself and your skills by using free online resources such as blogs or watching TED talks. Check out two Cydcor blogs in particular: “How to be a Successful Salesperson” and “How to Write a Winning Elevator Pitch.”
7. Salespeople are Only out for Themselves
Salespeople are certainly not out for themselves. Great salespeople are working to build a business and add value to their organization, not just to make a sale. They’re interested in being as efficient and effective as possible to achieve their goals. They know that the success of others doesn’t take away from their own chances for success so they’re happy to share what they know and see others reach their goals. This is one of the more damaging sales myths out there—those who walk this walk quickly discover that it won’t take them far.
8. All Salespeople are Extroverts
It’s a common sales myth that all salespeople are outgoing and assertive. Being a successful salesperson means having the ability to make people comfortable and being a great listener—whether you’re an introvert or extrovert. Being an attentive listener is key because it allows you to hear what the customer really wants and needs. This, in turn, better positions you to address their concerns and fulfill those needs with the right products and/or services.
9. Technology Rules
Technology has advanced at a rapid rate. While it has certainly helped speed things up and improved the resources available to salespeople, there are just some things computers can’t do. True selling always comes down to having great people skills and sales skills. No matter what, face-to-face contact remains invaluable in the sales industry because people connect with other people more than they do with any other form of advertising.
10. Great Products Sell Themselves
While great products are easier to sell, they still need to be sold. It’s up to the salesperson to create awareness of the product. Customers need to understand how your product or service can fulfill their needs and where and when those needs can be met. Even a great product needs marketing and sales support.
Gearing up for another business trip? Perhaps you’re a frequent business traveler and want to streamline the process, or maybe you’re preparing for one of your first business trips. Either way, having a systematic routine for getting yourself ready to hit the road will end up saving you time.
Here are eight smart business travel tips to make your business trips go as smoothly as possible with a minimum of inconvenience and, if you play your cards right, extra perks to boot!
1. Make a Checklist
Make a checklist to help you remember essentials as well as those random items (spare flash drive, phone charger, extra business cards, etc.) that you will inevitably find yourself searching for once you're mobile. Update your list as needed. A thorough checklist will make everything else seem just a little less stressful.
2. Don't Check a Bag
Bring a carry-on bag that meets airline specifications for size limits and pack versatile items that take up minimal space. Checking luggage can cause complications when flights are delayed or bags are misplaced, and it’s wiser and more convenient to have your belongings with you.
3. Get Pre-screened
Sign up for TSA Precheck and Global Entry as well as frequent flier programs. Shorter waits save you time, and airlines recognize frequent fliers not only with flight miles—which can add up quickly to a free flight or two—but also with perks such as seating upgrades and priority boarding as well as airport hospitality lounges.
4. Bring Your Own Snacks
Bring healthy snacks that are easy on your digestive system and keep your hunger at bay until you arrive at your destination. Airport convenience stores sell these usually inexpensive treats at a big markup, so make sure to bring your own along during your business traveling. Nuts, dried fruits, granola bars, and fresh fruits such as grapes, apples, or oranges all make great travel companions and will make you less likely to purchase expensive, caloric, and bland prepackaged foods on the airplane.
5. Dress Well
Dressing for success is always a good idea, but even more so on business trips. Not only do you stand a better chance of being upgraded, but dressing well will make you feel more confident and comfortable. You never know when a great networking opportunity might arise.
6. Use Technology to Plan Ahead
To make your business traveling as comfortable as possible, consult seatguru.com for a transparent look at your plane's seating configuration, including exit rows, lavatories, and in-seat power ports. You can even request seat changes on the app. Opentable.com makes it easy for you to secure dinner reservations in your destination city with its more than 20,000 worldwide restaurant members.
7. Stay Healthy
Regardless of your destination, you will encounter breeding grounds for germs in high-traffic areas such as airports. The last thing you want to bring home with you is a virus that drains your energy and leaves you feeling under the weather. Antibacterial wipes are an important ally that will sanitize your tray table or any other makeshift common use space where you set up shop.
8. Maximize Your Time
Looking to get some work done during your flight? Make sure you have a few essentials for remote working situations. Spring for some good noise-canceling headphones, a necessary investment for keeping your train of thought on the tracks. Proper headphones will allow you a modicum of privacy and the ability to focus or relax without disturbances. Make sure to bring a portable keyboard, which turns your smartphone or tablet into a laptop so you can salvage some productive moments and still have room for a beverage on your tray table. Finally, don’t forget a portable external hard drive. If you need to access volumes of paperwork, a compact external hard drive is your answer.
Seeking to not just survive, but also to thrive as a business traveler? If you incorporate these business travel tips into your business trip routine, you will return to the office refreshed, invigorated, and ahead of the curve. Staying savvy to the latest in travel innovations will allow you to master the art of business travel in the course of your own business undertakings.
For many, the idea of speaking in public is daunting. While a little nervous energy is healthy, excessive public speaking anxiety can be crippling. Being charismatic and engaging doesn’t necessarily come naturally, even to successful business people and world leaders. Whether it’s a keynote speech for hundreds of people or a simple team meeting, it takes a lot of effort to be a great speaker, starting with controlling your nerves.
Learn how to manage your nerves and boost your confidence so you can confidently conquer public speaking.
1. Get into the Zone
Focusing mentally before a public speaking event will allow you to give your best quality output. Make sure you’re comfortable with the venue by arriving a little early to get a feel for the set up. If possible, do a brief run through with the microphone. Whether it’s a small breakaway room or even the parking lot, find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed and take a moment to focus. Different people need different things, so you’ll need to learn what works best for you.
2. Warm Up
Public speaking can feel like a workout. Get yourself physically ready by doing some vocal exercises, which will help you project your voice and come across more confident in your delivery. Now, strike a power pose. Amy Cuddy, a body language researcher at Harvard Business School, suggests power posing to ease nerves before a presentation or public speaking engagement. According to Cuddy’s research, simply putting your hands on your hips or striking the CEO or Superman pose for two minutes will reduce your levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. This will give you a boost and make you look and feel powerful.
3. Work on Your Body Language
Public speaking isn’t just about what you’re saying, it’s also about how you’re saying it. The way you convey yourself—your body language, your facial expressions, and even your gestures—can affect the impact of your delivery. It’s important to be mindful of these nonverbal cues. Simple things like keeping your posture upright and expanding your chest helps. Smiling and making eye contact will put your audience at ease even if you’re speaking about a more serious topic.
You can read more body language dos and don’ts in our blog, 8 Common Professional Body Language Mistakes to Avoid.
4. Memorize Your Content
Memorizing the sequence of your slides or your note cards—whatever you’re using to prepare or presenting visually—will help you to feel in control and allow you to anticipate which slide comes next, making you look more professional. Start by memorizing key points and you’ll slowly begin to weave a story line. It will also reduce the likelihood of you getting off track should you feel overcome with your public speaking anxiety.
5. Tell a Story
The more data-driven your content, the harder it is to keep your audience engaged. Telling a story with your content is a good way to connect with your audience. It will help them understand where the concept comes from and what it means. The key is making sure you have a thread that links the different ideas and concepts throughout your presentation.
Structure your material so you start and end strong. Don’t waste time with a longwinded introduction, especially if you have a time limit. You may even consider starting with a personal anecdote or provocative question—something that will make the audience feel they can relate to and connect with you.
6. Rehearse
The best way to boost your confidence is to rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. This will also help you memorize the material. Ideally, rehearse in front of someone. If that’s not possible, you can use a mirror. Always time yourself while rehearsing to ensure you don’t exceed the time you’ve been allocated. If your presentation includes a question-and-answer session, you can prepare some model questions and answers ahead of time to help ease your public speaking anxiety.
7. Pace Yourself
Be mindful not to lose your audience. There’s a fine line between speaking too fast and too slow. Speaking too fast can make you come across as nervous. You can manage the pace of your public speaking by including pauses before or after key statements. This will make them stand out and have the added benefit of giving you a breather.
8. Stay Hydrated
Drinking warm drinks before your engagement will soothe your throat. Nerves can make your mouth go dry, so keep a bottle of water nearby to keep hydrated.
Like most things in life, practice makes perfect when it comes to combating public speaking anxiety. The best way to build your confidence is to take up every opportunity you can to speak, no matter how small the audience. The more experience you have, the more confident you’ll be and the better you’ll become at managing your nerves.
Whether you’re seeking to advance your career or grow your business, making progress toward your goals can come down to your ability to enlist the help of others—often through activating one’s personal power bases. Perhaps you need to ask for a raise or a promotion, or maybe you need to request funding to kick off an exciting new project or cover the cost of new hires. Whatever the case, understanding how to get others on board is critical to achieving the outcome you’re hoping for. But if you’re low on the totem pole or just beginning to establish your fledgling business, asking others to reward you with money, time, or increased responsibility can feel like a David vs. Goliath scenario.
Don’t underestimate yourself, though: you may have a lot more personal power than you think. A person’s power bases are the sources from which they draw credibility, influence, and character, traits that can be assets when asking others to help your cause. Power bases can come in many forms, and you may have more than one effective power base to draw from. You simply need to learn how to identify your power bases and use them to your advantage. By recognizing the sources of your power, you can feel more confident as you ask for the things you need to achieve your goals.
Recognizing your personal sources of power is critical to your ability to collaborate with others and ask for the resources and opportunities you’ll need to grow your company and advance your career. It’s easy to underestimate oneself and overlook how much you have to bring to the table. Success in business requires constant negotiation, and by understanding your own power to get others on your side, you improve your chances of achieving the results you’re hoping for and reaching your goals.
While it’s important to know what you should do in meetings and negotiations, knowing what you shouldn’t do is often just as important – and it begins with bad body language.
The best sales managers know that while you may have a polished sales presentation, tasteful attire, and a product that practically sells itself, you can still miss out on closing a sale if your body language is out of sync with your words. While it’s true that first impressions make a lasting impact, cumulative body language is important. If you are in the habit of demonstrating any of the following body language in sales meetings, it could be enough to hurt your sales performance, turning a potential yes into definite no.
There is no overstating the importance of presenting good body language in sales or any business interaction – it can make all the difference. Don’t send the wrong message with self-sabotaging nonverbal communication. Be prepared and well-rehearsed when you walk into a meeting. Be conscious, too, about what you do while you are speaking. You are, after all, providing visual accompaniment to your eloquent words. Once you ensure your words and actions match up, you’ll start to notice fewer closing doors and more closing sales.
If you’ve caught yourself demonstrating some of these examples of bad body language in sales meetings, consider the correction of it one of your professional New Year resolutions.
If you’ve been using our negotiating tips, then it’s entirely likely a sale is on the horizon – so it’s important to be able to recognize it. As a salesperson, it’s important to stay tuned into the customer and what he or she may be feeling, thinking, or doing. It easy to get too caught up in delivering the perfect sales pitch or projecting energy and forget that sales is a two-way communication. It involves give and take; the exchange of information to and from both parties. Customers are constantly sending signals about what they want, what they need, and what they are thinking. And, if you just learn to pay attention, and know what buying signs to look for, these messages, both verbal and non-verbal, can make your job as sales person a whole lot easier.
Buying signals are indications the customer gives that he or she may be nearing a decision about your product or service and may be interested in making a purchase. These ready-to-buy cues, can be easy to miss if you’re too focused on what you need to say or do next. Learn some of the most common buying signs, so the next time a customer is ready to buy, you won’t miss out on the sale.
Listening and paying attention is just as important as saying the right things when trying to make a sale. Customers communicate a lot about how they’re feeling about the product for sales people who are willing and able to pick up their signals. Overlooking these, sometimes subtle, buying signs could mean missing out on sales and doing more work than necessary. Becoming an expert on customer behavior and learning the classic buying signals can make selling a whole lot easier by giving you valuable information about the kind of customer you’re dealing with.
It’s not always what you say that makes the biggest impression. Before you even open your mouth, nonverbal habits you’re not even aware of could jeopardize your ability to make a good impression, close a deal, get promoted, or earn a new customer. Professional body language is critical to any business exchange, and it’s just as important to be aware of the things you’re not saying as it is to be aware of what you are. In other words, through your posture, body language, habits, and tone, you may be speaking volumes without even uttering a word.
Body language in meetings and exchanges can make a world of difference in your business conversations. Everything we do communicates something, so why not communicate as clearly as possible. Avoid these eight body language mistakes during your next meeting, and when you do have the opportunity to speak, your words will have the impact you’re hoping for.
“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” - Robert F. Kennedy
Growing up, we learned that all failures are bad. So when we did fail, it hung over our heads as an unpleasant reminder of what happens when we try something new. But failure can be good when we learn from it, and embracing the “fail fast and fail often” mentality, which focuses on risk-taking and innovation, can turn one step backward into two steps forward. Failure is a powerful teacher. It shows us what doesn’t work, so we can more quickly find our way to what does. Failing in sales and business can often be an effective and even necessary route to mastering the art of the pitch and closing more deals.
Learning from failure is a powerful skill that takes confidence in our abilities and strength to admit fault. Here are some strategies to turn a setback into a comeback:
Don’t Worry About What You Can’t Control
You can’t change what’s out of your control, and worrying about it will only make things worse. Take stock of what you can control, such as your planning and skillset, and use it to re-evaluate your process to prepare for a better outcome.
Own it
Everybody fails. Own it and forgive yourself, then learn from it and turn this negative into a positive. The best thing to do is to be honest with yourself and set your mind on improving, and the only way you can truly do that is taking responsibility for the missed opportunity.
Revise the Plan
Before you set out, what was your plan? Often times, the cause of failure is a simple oversight or misplaced effort in the planning phase. Focus on everything that happened before the failure and see what can be changed; there may be one or two things you could’ve done that’ll seem obvious with hindsight.
Seek an Outside Perspective
Sometimes we’re unable to see the cause of our failure because we lived it. An outside perspective from someone you trust, such as a mentor who is in a better position to see where things went wrong, might provide helpful guidance. Be open and honest with them about your failure; it’ll make you feel better to talk about it, and your mentor will respect you for seeking honest feedback and learning from it.
Believe in Yourself
Something went wrong, so trust yourself to make it right. It’s too easy to dwell on failure and beat ourselves into submission. A failure doesn’t make you a failure if you learn from it. Believe in your abilities and your strength to move forward because you will get better. Take risks. Expand your comfort zone. One day, you’ll look back on this and be glad it happened because it made you realize your true potential.
Try Again
The worst thing to do after a failure is stop trying. Failure can be a gift when it provides insights that help you perform better on the next attempt. When you give up, you waste that valuable information. Learn, grow, and keep moving, and this time you might just win big. There’s only one way to find out.
Setbacks are stressful, and can keep us from chasing our goals if we let them, but the courage to own it and learn from failure helps us pivot onto stronger ground for new opportunities. Millionaires and celebrities are no strangers to this; they’ve all experienced failure. Can you imagine if Steven Spielberg quit making movies after being rejected from film school? The most important thing to do after a failure is to learn from it and try again.
With the help of these strategies, your feelings of failure will subside and you’ll become even more confident in reaching your goals.
When asked about New Year’s resolutions, common responses are losing weight, getting a new job, and saving more money. For entrepreneurs, the answer is more complicated as business New Year’s resolutions require greater specificity and accountability, and the motivation to see them through.
As you and your team plan for the year ahead, consider these six, actionable business New Year’s resolutions:
1. Connect with More Customers
A new year means new opportunities to connect with more customers and grow your business. Learn as much as you can about them from social media, analytics platforms, internet forums, and blogs. Check in with existing customers and get feedback for improvement. Your customers will appreciate your proactive interest in them, and in turn, you’ll be on track to strengthen relationships and build new ones.
2. Communicate More Effectively
Miscommunication wastes time and affects morale. Nobody likes repeating themselves, and time spent clarifying is better spent knocking out approaching deadlines. Save time and help your team feel heard by asking for feedback and advice on what works best for them. Whether it’s less emails for more one-on-ones, or using a productivity tool, effective internal communication helps make all other goals seem more possible.
3. Learn a New Skill
Successful people are always learning; their student mentality keeps them open to new perspectives and innovation. Whether it’s to benefit your work or fuel a passion project, learning a new skill will help boost your confidence and give more opportunities to network with others in classes and workshops.
4. Make Time for Yourself
Running a business is hard, but it’s harder when you’re burnt out. Resolve to make time for yourself this year and set expectations with clients and colleagues, even if it’s only for a lunch break or turning your phone off after dinner. Often, complicated tasks become less complicated when you’re feeling refreshed. Taking time off allows your mind the room it needs to wander and connect the dots in unexpected ways.
5. Expand Your Comfort Zone
Make an effort to take more calculated risks and tackle different projects. It seems daunting, but the benefits far outweigh the intimidation. Expanding your comfort zone creates room for real growth and empowers you to chase new opportunities for your team, your business, and your clients. Plus, it shows that you’re versatile and bold, who wouldn’t want to do business with someone like that?
6. Set More SMART Goals
Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely goal setting is how successful people get large projects done. That also goes for New Year’s resolutions, which have a tendency to get dropped around January 7th. Keep your business New Year’s resolutions on track this year by setting more SMART goals, and ask your friend how that gym membership is coming.
When brainstorming your resolutions, reflect on these powerful business quotes for the New Year:
Mark Twain
"The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret to getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks and then starting on the first one."
Ben Stein
"The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want.”
Peter F. Drucker
“Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.”
Oprah Winfrey
“Step out of the history that is holding you back. Step into the new story you are willing to create.”
As you go into the New Year, effectively manage your resolutions by ensuring they stay top of mind. Consider printing them out and giving everyone a copy, and sending reminders when appropriate. Although these are business New Year’s resolutions and quotes, the advice is timeless and will help inspire greater work across a variety of teams.
A simple gift can speak volumes when you want to acknowledge, maintain, or strengthen a professional relationship. The gesture of gifting shows thoughtfulness, consideration, and appreciation, especially if that gift can be incorporated into a daily routine, or make the recipient’s average day exceptional.
Whether you are acknowledging the diligent dedication of your employees, or showing appreciation for a strategic work connection, gifting demonstrates personal investment in a relationship.
It goes without saying, but always consider a recipient’s cultural differences when brainstorming professional gift ideas; appropriate holiday gifts for coworkers show that your firm has taste, class, and manners. Something your connections will remember while laying their plans for the New Year.