Don't Tire of Doing the Right Thing

While Jane and I were on vacation in Palm Springs, my best friend Russell introduced us to cigars. Much to our surprise, we thoroughly enjoyed sitting on his patio each evening sipping Scotch and enjoying a good cigar.

When we returned home, we found a small cigar shop in our hometown of Westerville. We’ve been there a couple of times to purchase cigars then sit down and enjoy them. What’s been and pleasant surprise during those visits are the interesting people we’ve met.

This past weekend we talked with a young man who’s early in his career as a company marketing rep for a large implement dealer. As he shared a little about his job, I saw the parallel with field salespeople in the insurance industry.

I began to share a little about what I do and how I work with sales and marketing reps. He was very intrigued as everything I shared was new to him and he could see how it applied to his job. We ended up talking for quite some time.

I’m under no illusion that a new company rep is going to get me in the door with that huge organization. As we left the cigar shop Jane was extremely complimentary but a little frustrated. She said I had a gift for sharing ideas to help people when it comes to influencing others. She lamented that I didn’t have an opportunity in front of a decision maker.

I told her I wasn’t discouraged at all. We can always choose to do the right thing and trust that, in time, the right opportunities will present themselves. I didn’t look at that conversation has anything more than a chance to meet someone, help them a little, and perfect my messaging.

My approach to conversations like that is similar to being on podcasts. Whether or not a piece of business turns up because I was a guest on a show isn’t the point. The goal is to do what I can to help people. Each time I’m on a podcast it’s an opportunity to meet podcast hosts, share influence with a new audience, and perfect my messaging. That’s how I look at networking when it arises, even in the most unlikely settings. It’s not about “working the room,” it’s about genuine giving then trusting that reciprocity is at work.

Here’s my encouragement: Don’t tire of doing the right thing. I wrote a blog post last year called?Is Anything Ever Really Lost??I encourage you to read it. I’m a firm believer that nothing is ever lost. Even when you don’t see the point in some of the things you’re doing, they have meaning and purpose.

Brian Ahearn, CPCU, CTM, CPT, CMCT

Brian Ahearn?is the Chief Influence Officer at?Influence PEOPLE. An?author,?TEDx speaker, international trainer, coach, and consultant, he’s one of only a dozen people?in the world?personally trained by Robert Cialdini, Ph.D., the most cited living social psychologist on the science of ethical influence.

Brian’s first book,?Influence PEOPLE, was named one of the 100 Best Influence Books of All Time by?BookAuthority. His follow-up,?Persuasive Selling for Relationship Driven Insurance Agents, was an Amazon new release bestseller. His new book,?The Influencer: Secrets to Success and Happiness, is a business parable.

Brian’s?LinkedIn?courses on persuasive selling and coaching have been viewed by more than 400,000 people around the world.