Tougher than the Times: What in the World is Going On?
February 27, 2009
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IN THIS ISSUE
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- Article: What in the World is Going on Here?
- News & Events
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WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON HERE?
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| by Rolfe Carawan |
"What in the world is going on here?" The question immediately brings to mind a movie scene of parents walking in on their teenager's party. But, I imagine this question is being asked - even if not audibly - in board rooms and sales meetings all across our nation.
It's a great question to consider, really. Because what we imagine to be TRUE about a particular set of circumstances ultimately determines our response to it. As a boy, I enjoyed playing pranks on my sister. One night I hid a realistic-looking rubber snake in her room. When she found it, she reacted as if it were real. As an adult, I now know that her "terrified" screams were not just superficial but a response that sent her body into fight or flight mode. Her blood pressure rose, and her heart began to beat faster. Even if only for a moment - regardless of the fact that the actual "threat" was fake. In other words, her reaction was the same as if there had been an actual living snake in her bedroom.
So, what in the world is going on here? How we DEFINE our current situation is crucial to our ability to either leverage or survive it. Dr. Maxwell Maltz concluded that, "Human beings always act and feel and perform in accordance with what they imagine to be true about themselves and their environment". Not what IS true about our environment, but what we IMAGINE to be true about our environment. To bring this out of my childhood home and into the business world, let's consider the following:
It is a known and accepted fact that car sales have declined steeply in recent months. The bottom line is that as unemployment rises and credit becomes more restrictive, LESS cars are being sold. Every car salesman is painfully aware of these facts. They remember "the facts" when a client comes in the door. They recall "the facts" when they don't hit their projected sales goals. "The facts" are discussed among members of the team. Of course, the truth is that cars ARE being sold. Maybe, because of their DISMAL perception of their circumstances, sales departments are feeling defeated and doing less. Maybe LESS cars are being sold because LESS is being done to sell cars.
Could this be true? Let's see. What if John Smith, a very successful car salesman, was miraculously spared this truth about our economy and car sales? One day, as if by magic, his sales take a sharp decline. He simply doesn't sell like he used to. His numbers are down and so is his income. Yet, since he had been spared 'the facts', he probably wouldn't "blame" the economic circumstances.
Instead, he would very likely blame himself. He may decide he needed to make more phone calls each day or invest in a direct marketing letter to his contacts or invest in some sales training. In other words, John Smith would begin taking MORE action - not LESS - based on his own perception of "What in the world is going on here?".
How does this apply to YOU? Whether you are a corporate leader, small business owner, or a sales person, it is important NOT to "ignore the ROAR" of your circumstances, but to be very careful in how you imagine its effect on you. Be very aware of what is directly in your power to change. A great way to start is by remembering John Smith and asking, "What if I didn't know that X,Y, and Z were going on in the world? What would my response to this situation be - if I were spared "the facts"? How can I RUN to the ROAR, rather than being defeated by it?"
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| WHAT'S GOING ON WITH ROLFE |
| News & Events |
- Rolfe is speaking to the Greater Cincinnati Health Council on March 12th.
- Rolfe is taping in Lynchburg, Virgina on March 27th.
- Rolfe is speaking to the Vistage CEO Group in Richmond, Virginia on March 31st.
- Rolfe is teaming up with Congressman Randy Forbes on his latest book, Run to the Roar, due out this Spring. Be sure to visit my blog for more details.
- Rolfe and the Carawan Global team joined Tori Johnson and Good Morning America with the national Job Club initiative to help train and coach local job seekers looking for employment. Rolfe was featured on WVEC Channel 13. For more information on how you can get involved click here.
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Rolfe Carawan
Carawan Global Communications & Consulting
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