In sales it is all about our mindset

Yesterday, I kicked off Regal Rexnord's 2024 America’s Growth Conference with a message on having a growth mindset and how words matter when it comes to leadership. It was inspiring to have 700 commercial professionals in the room with such diverse backgrounds.

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We have three distinct businesses that over a very short period have come together, and there is a level of change exhaustion. In my opening welcome speak I talked to how we do not want to be in the drama triangle either personally or as group.

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The fact is as leaders we want to recognize unhealthy relationship patterns and provide a framework for developing more positive, empowering interactions.

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Victim: this role is characterized by a sense of helplessness, dependency, and dejection. The Victim feels oppressed and unable to solve problems independently, often seeking a Rescuer to alleviate their suffering. This is behavior is one I see often during times of change.

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Rescuer: the rescuer is the "savior" in the triangle, often acting out of a desire to help, solve, or ease the Victim's problems. In business “saviors” are problematic, as it can enable the Victim's helplessness and avoid addressing the underlying issues.

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Persecutor: the persecutor is an antagonist, often blamed for the victim's woes. They are characterized by control, anger, criticism, or authoritarianism. As opposed to how this behavior is sometimes portrayed as in movie’s this role doesn't necessarily mean the person is abusive or villainous. Rather, it reflects a position in the dynamic.

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It is easy to fall into this drama triangle, but as leaders our role is elevate and rise above by adopting more constructive roles and behaviors like the Creator (instead of Victim), the Challenger (instead of Persecutor), and the Coach (instead of Rescuer).

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A growth mindset is particularly crucial in sales due to the inherent challenges and setbacks that sales professionals frequently encounter, such as losing pursuits, or the prolonged effort required to break into new accounts. Embracing a growth mindset empowers sales individuals and teams to view these challenges not as insurmountable obstacles or personal failures, but as opportunities for learning and development.

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A change of thought process and leadership regardless of the level of organization helps influence a group mindset—one that is positive and growth-oriented. For a commercial organization when attitude and mindset is so important, it empowers the following:

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???????????? Enhances Collaboration

???????????? Facilitates Problem-Solving and Diversity of Thought

???????????? Boosts Morale and Motivation

???????????? Supports Learning and Growth

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I introduced the concept to the audience that as leaders, we need create a spell if we are to influence others.

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"Spell" can refer to the magic words that you speak, or it can describe being under the influence of those words. You probably don’t encounter many magic spells in real life, but the word is often used figuratively to describe those times when you feel like a magical power controls your actions.

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Thoughts are the seeds from which words grow; they are the origin of our expressions and the drivers of our communication. In the realm of leadership and even personal development, understanding this connection is critical.

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Our thoughts shape our perceptions, influence our decisions, and ultimately manifest in the words we choose to share with the world. This is why cultivating positive, constructive, and forward-thinking mental habits is critical.

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I asked the audience.

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What are the words we are choosing as leaders? Do they reflect a positive mindset?

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Are they growth-minded phrases, like:

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???????????? "I can learn to do this!" “Challenges help me grow.” “Feedback is constructive.”

???????????? “Mistakes help me improve.” “I'll try a different strategy." ”This may take some time.”?

???????????? "Effort and attitude determine my abilities.” “I am inspired by the success of others.”

???????????? “I can always improve." “I embrace new challenges.”

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These words and phrases cerate physiology of persistence, resilience, agility and innovation. ?

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These words and phrases display a growth mindset by focusing on continuous improvement, scalability, learning and the belief in one's ability to grow and improve.

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It is the spell, magical words that all leaders should use. It’s the words that help stay out of the drama triangle. It’s words that influence the decisions we make.

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Every powerful statement, every persuasive argument, and every meaningful conversation begins with a thought. My message to the audience was: let's make sure our thoughts lead to words that uplift, motivate, and unite. Together let's have a growth mindset, grow as leaders and grow as a company and lead the business forward.