Soldiers and Sales Leaders: Cut From the Same Cloth

Throughout history, warriors have been acclaimed and respected. They're popularized in movies and books as heroes and villains, but rarely as someone to laugh at or trifle with.

The character traits of the classical warriors are the stuff of legend, but they don't have a monopoly on the market. The best sales leaders embody these characteristics, and the greatest in both professions understand and develop these traits intentionally.

Here are the traits, as identified by Robert Moore in King, Warrior, Magician, Lover.

Aggressive

Not in the sense of unprovoked attacks or invasions. Sales leaders and warriors share an ability to put forth effort, energy, initiative, and force. Think of aggression as a hammer – it can be used to build a house or to bash a skull in. It’s neutral in nature. When cultivated, this trait will drive him or her to be the best they possibly can be.

Purpose

This is the goal that is driving the aggressiveness. It is a clear and definite path and the end game. Without this, a warrior or a sales leader will drift along aimlessly. They will bow to the whim of fate, rather than bend it to their will. Both keep their goal in mind and are bent on achieving it come hell or high water. Some quarters will come together by virtue of success in net new customer purchases; others by way of expansion; yet others through renewals or the channel. Whatever the source, a strong sales leader will find a way to make things happen.

Mindful

This is two-fold. First, the sales leader and the warrior maintain situational awareness. If lulled into complacency, a sales leader will miss vital pieces of information or step on land mines placed by competitors or prospect detractors. They observe, orient, decide, and act. Second, they are mindful of the finiteness of their circumstances. The warrior actively contemplates and embraces the possibility of his or her death. Thus, he or she is unafraid of death - this is the source of their courage. The sales leader knows that the quarter is short, and knows the time remaining. He or she knows the typical timeline of deals, plans accordingly, and aggressively drives the pipeline forward.

Adaptable

Warriors and sales leaders study their opponents. They know the critical weaknesses, the core strengths, and the tendencies of their foe. The Continental Army could not prevail against the British in head to head combat, so they adapted and utilized guerilla tactics. There are not many companies that can go toe to toe with the Oracles of the world in terms of financial backing, raw functionality, marketing, or brand recognition. The adaptable sales leader gets to know the competition and uses their strengths against them. He or she is clever and efficient in the use of time, energy, and resources. Skilled sales leaders will only engage at a time and place of their own choosing – they ignore the opportunities that experience has taught them will not yield success.

Minimalist

Traditional military forces travel heavily armed and resourced. This makes them powerful, but it also makes them slow and heavy. Guerilla warriors strip out the excess baggage and bring only what will allow them to accomplish their specific objectives. Sales leaders do the same thing – they strip out the fluff of their offering, and focus on bringing targeted material into their customer meetings. If it isn’t relevant and impactful, it doesn’t get discussed. They are quick and nimble, and able to stay ahead of the competition (and the customer) because they prepare in advance and often know the challenges their customers face better than the customers themselves know them.

Decisive

Fortune favors the bold. The seasoned soldier and the mature sales leader make decisions boldly and commit to carry through. When Caesar crossed the Rubicon, he said, “The die is cast”. There was no going back. Both are able to be so decisive because they have trained and drilled thoroughly for these critical moments; they are prepared. Because they are thus prepared, they instinctively anticipate the various contingencies and outcomes, and know what to do.

Skillful

The confidence needed to be so decisive is rooted in competence. According to Moore, “The Warrior’s energy is concerned with skill, power, and accuracy.” The Warrior “has absolute mastery of the technology of his trade… the technology that enables him to reach his goal. He has developed skill with the ‘weapons’ he uses to implement his decisions.” Sales leaders hone their skills and sharpen their saws religiously. They understand the technologies that undergird their trade – like prescriptive discovery calls, Challenger selling, negotiations, and closing.

Loyal

Warriors are loyal to their nation, their comrades, leadership, to their ideals and principles. It goes beyond themselves and their own concerns. These things and people stand as guideposts to direct their actions. Professional sales leaders share this trait. They are loyal to leadership that evinces integrity, intelligence, and intensity. They are loyal to their ideals and their families, to the organizations they represent.

Disciplined

Warriors master their bodies and minds. Self-control governs their actions, and guides their levels of aggression. Situations do not dictate their attitudes or outlooks. A seasoned warrior takes calculated risks and is ready for pain. Sales leaders live by these same principles. Whether interacting with clients or team members, they read the situations, decide on their attitudes, and act accordingly. Discipline also prepares them for the inevitable “no” that they will hear. The pain of “no” is not always a bad thing – it contributes to their education and prepares them for the next interaction.

Emotionally Detached

Sales leaders and warriors must be able to detach from the fears and doubts that accompany them. When it is time to perform, they rely on the skills they have acquired, and simply get to work. This provides mental clarity and acuteness. This, unfortunately, is a double-edged sword. Warriors and sales leaders can both struggle in personal relationships if they are unable to reconnect with their emotions and be vulnerable in their relationships.

Creative Destroyer

Honorable warriors and professional sales leaders destroy in order to make room for something new. It is creative destruction, and is not done out of sadistic pleasure. Sales leaders must assist their clients in burning their boats – what was done to get them here is now no longer an option. The pain the client is experiencing is plastered on a billboard and pointed to often. This makes way for the better world that the sales leader is proposing. It doesn’t come without costs, temporary pain makes the ultimate payoff that much sweeter.

I must give credit to artofmanliness.com for the inspiration for this article. The above traits come directly from a post found here.

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Steve Underwood is a technology sales professional with 13 years of experience. He is currently focusing on large account acquisitions for AtTask, Inc, and is based in sunny San Diego, CA.