AWAKENED SALESPERSON (Part 1)

Selling, traditionally has been touted as an existential issue. It is now time for it to become a deep sense of purpose. If sales is anything, it is an eternal process of inquiry and gaining wisdom. Hence, the means and ends of a salesperson should be awakening to the purpose of selling and it can only happen through Jnana (knowledge and wisdom).

In doing so a salesperson becomes AWAKENED.

But Why and What?

There are two customers for a salesperson; external and within. Much of the traditional sales process emphasizes knowing outside-in, i.e. knowing external customer, their roles, styles, composition of buying center and so on. Without conviction from within, adapting to the external knowledge remains superficial.

It should change to inside – out where the salesperson should know the purpose of selling, find meaning in the sales job, get convinced on the sales pitch, value proposition and so on. Once a salesperson is convinced from within, it becomes easier to adapt.

A detailed understanding of the customer 'within' helps transcend to a different level of performance.

PREREQUISITES

I will illustrate FOUR prerequisites through tenets required to be awakened. Later, in another article, I shall illustrate the process of becoming the awakened.

Marina Tenet: In 1974, an experiment called ‘Rhythm 0’ by Marina Abramovic revealed the nature of humans. In the middle of the room she promised to stand for 6 hours and 72 items were put in front of her (like rose, glass of water, lipstick, knife, razor, loaded pistol and so on). She urged the audience to treat her as an object and use the items on her. She promised not to complain to anyone, no matter what.

Initial couple of hours were sober and then from third hour it turned difficult for her. She was abused, clothes were cut off, razors were used on her skin, minor sexual assaults were carried and then in the end someone took a loaded pistol and was almost about to shoot her. Luckily, she was saved by the guards.

After 6 hours she was in tears for what she had gone through. Then she walked towards the audience. None could look into her face. All were avoiding any confrontation with her. Guilt you know. Humans are not generally empathetic when they find a soft target.

Tenet 1: REALIZATION. We are born with an 'inner' customer. To grow empathy you need to realize that 'inner' customer. Lest, if you leave your 'inner' customer to its own entropy, it consumes you and makes you vile and opportunistic (just the way it happened to the audience in Marina's performance). You need to make efforts to realize its true potential and put it to good use. In Kaivalya Upanishad, it is said;

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Everything is born in me, everything is established in me and merges with me. I am that supreme, the one without a second.

Realize that you are that supreme conscious and strive to know it. That is the only way to be awakened. Realize that learning about the customer 'within' is a continuous pursuit.

Buddha Tenet: Once Buddha asked his disciples what did they see in his hand. Everyone said a very beautiful handkerchief. He then made about 5 knots and asked the same question. They replied that it was the same handkerchief but now looks different. He inferred and said that all the disciples were Buddhas but with knots in their minds.

Later, he pulled the knotted handkerchief from both ends and asked if the knots can be undone that way. Disciples replied ‘no’ and said they will now become more tighten and difficult to open. Buddha replied that if they try too hard, it becomes more complicated.

He then asked how to untie the knots. A disciple said that he would remain calm, carefully observe the way the knot was formed and then try to untie. ‘Exactly’, said Buddha. That is how you need to untie your knots. Being mindful will result in untying.

Tenet 2: MINDFULNESS. Many salespeople create knots and pull from both ends. Being mindful helps them to be free from knots. Calms their mind and body, reduces anxiety, improves creativity, and listening skills. It helps in controlling senses. Mindfulness awakens inner customer.

Shiva Tenet: Mata Parvati was surprised at the 3 easy ways of getting Moksha (Salvation): Have a bath in Ganges and have a Darshan of Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Else die in Kashi. Else get the dead body burnt in Manikarnika/Harishchandra Ghat. Lord Shiva assured that it was not easy.

To demonstrate, one fine day in disguise Lord Shiva laid down as a dead body and asked Mata Parvati to mourn loudly. All through the day, thousands of people who took bath and darshan trespassed her and inquired the matter. She replied that her husband would come alive if a person without sin touches him. A sinner will die in case of a touch. No one dared. Finally, a person went to Ganges, took bath, had a darshan and touched. Lord Shiva woke up and said to Mata Parvati, “see, it is not easy. Out of many thousands only one had faith in the boon. Only he is worthy to receive moksha”.

Tenet 3: FAITH. In several training programs, I ask salespeople to reminisce their past 15 days of sales. I ask them to recollect the days when they were convinced with themselves (innate customer) and also ask them to recollect the results of the specific day. Bingo. High correlation, sometimes exceeding 80 percent. Faith is the harbinger of the customer within. 

Karate Kid Tenet: Dre was getting restless as he had to put his jacket on the hanger and remove it again. He did it some thousand times over many days but Han, his teacher of Kung Fu insisted he does it again and again. At one point, Dre says that Han does not know the art of Kung Fu. Han gets up and insists to perform the regular work as told. Dre reluctantly does it. Over the next couple of minutes Han demonstrates why he asked Dre to do mundane rituals like putting coat on hanger and removing it. Dre was taught about renunciation of needless thoughts and concentrate on what is essential. Here it is for you again….

Tenet 4: RENUNCIATION. Awakening comes from renunciation. It builds focus on what is essential. Several sales reps I spoke to confessed that about half of their work life goes in stuff that has no meaningful contribution to life. They sulk over boss, colleagues, talk politics, and while away time. It is time for sales reps for renunciation (called Uparatih in Sanskrit). Instead they immerse in performing two activities. Firstly, nishkama karma i.e. performing obligatory duties like setting the sales bag right, confirming the visiting cards, dressing up well, preparing on the customer profile, updating the daily records and so on. Secondly by performing naimittika karma i.e. duties and rituals required on special occasions like preparing for special negotiations, tackling tough customer, gaining knowledge and wisdom by reading and speaking to senior colleagues.

Conclusion

In Srimad Bhagawad Gita (Chapter 4, Verse 39), the following shloka summarizes what we discussed till now;

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The one who has faith, works diligently to control mind and senses, attains knowledge and wisdom will be the one who becomes awakened or enlightened.

contd......