Stuck between mediocrity and excellence

"You have to make it rain!"  Any leadership position in a professional services firm requires that you have the ability to sell.  Depending on what type of firm you are in, the selling style types can range from that of a used car salesman to drug dealer to trusted advisor.  And to confirm what Daniel Pink alludes to in To Sell is Human , the perception of a person in sales is predominantly that of the slick used car salesman.  Why is that the case?  The answer lies in incentives. Salespeople  get compensated on quick fixes.  Quick fixes are solved through commissions.  The quicker you can close a transaction or deal, the sooner you get paid. It fosters superficial relationships and a lack of loyalty between seller and buyer. In addition, you don't have to be smart to be this kind of salesman. You simply have to be selfish,  narcissistic, and manipulative. Being good looking also helps.  What most people don't understand i...

It's been a long time since I've been to a professional meeting or networking event.  The other evening I attended one in order to get a feel for a community or 'tribe' that I may be interested in joining. I didn't bring any business cards.  Just a notebook and pen to record what I was thinking or capture any information of value. What I discovered is that there is a fine line between selling, self-promotion, and having an interest in the other person that you networking with.  Jeffrey Gitomer says, "People don't like to be sold, but they like to BUY!"  Any astute person knows when they are being targeted for a sale. Any intelligent person knows when they are being hustled.  I get the fact that many people use networking events to make new connections and perhaps find potential customers, referrals, or clients.  But I think a networking event is more effective if the intent is for people to genuinely learn about other people's inte...