What can sales rep's learn from Calgary 88?

This post has been bubbling away in the back of my mind for a number of months - I just wanted to wait until the Winter Olympics were finished, that and I needed to rewatch both Cool Runnings and Eddie the Eagle... this time I was watching them with my 'sales cap' on.

But why?

Back in January, I led a webinar with Telesales guru, Lynn Hidy (you can watch it here) where we looked at the "Traits of a Good Salesperson and How to Get to Great". Lynn said in her experience you'll find 6 traits in all great salespeople...

1. Work Ethic
2. Positive Belief
3. Personal Responsibility
4. A Stretch Mentality
5. Curiosity
6. Courage

I couldn't help but think all 6 could be found throughout my two favourite "Calgary 88 Winter Olympics" based movies... Cool Runnings and Eddie the Eagle. The similarities in these movies don't end there...

Cool Runnings features 4 Jamaican lads, the main protagonist, however, is Derice. He's the best sprinter in Jamaica and he knows it. He's been preparing for the Olympic trials his whole life. Brimming with confidence we see Derice in the opening scene telling his partner that he wants it more than anyone, he can feel that he's going to win the gold, it's his time - incredible positive belief. Unfortunately, he and fellow sprinter Yul are tripped by another competitor, Junior and we see Derice on the floor watching as his dreams cross the line without him.

Eddie the Eagle has a similar start in life. His movie, also based on a true story starts with an 8 year old Eddie, desperate to go to the Olympics so much so that when he isn't practising every sport possible; pole-vault, hurdles, "weight" lifting, javelin, hammer throw and more he's burying his nose in his favourite books including 'Moments of Glory' featuring other Olympians. Eddie from a young age displays strong work ethic, curiosity, positive belief and a stretch mentality.

Eddie also displays the courage to defy his Dad who tells him regularly that he'll never make it to the Olympics and it's not just his dad who doubts him either, at one point he's told “you've gone as far as you can go, you will never be Olympic material” and that was coming from The Head of the British Winter Olympic Selection Committee.

Does this put Eddie off? nope... he has courage and buckets of positive belief to pursue his dream

Derice who also refuses to give up on his dream has a new idea, Bobsledding which he has now studied in depth (stretch mentality). He also faces a similar challenge with the Jamaican Olympic Association who, upon learning of his plan to set up Jamaica's first Bobsled team, refuse the $20,000 required to get to Calgary.

Derice leaves the meeting with his new coach, Irv Blitzer (played by John Candy) saying

"it's okay Coach, I'll find another way to get the money" - personal responsibility

A defeated Irv asks "Do the words give up mean anything to you?"

To which Derice replies, "Not a thing" work ethic.

In fact, it was this work ethic that landed him a coach in the first place, originally Irv, refused to coach Derice and his 3 companions (Sanka, Junior and Yul)

"Believe me, kid, you don't have what it takes" - Irv Blitzer to Derice.

Derice wouldn't accept no, he knew he needed a coach to succeed and Irv was his man. Derice actually visited Irv every day until he said yes, which reminds me of the famous Jeb Blount story where he left a voicemail for a prospect for 50 days straight until he said 'yes' to a meeting. Courage and work ethic.

When the Jamaican team arrive in Calgary they leave no stone unturned, training in their own unique ways. Waking up their coach bright and early every morning "Rise and shine coach, it's butt-whipping time". In case you were wondering, "butt-whipping time" includes; running, weight sessions, ice skating, bobsledding and even practising in the bath! We also see Derice studying the way other teams compete - curiosity.

Eddie's desire and challenge to get a coach wasn't too dissimilar, although it comes much later into his preparation - Eddie's greatest asset to him was his personal responsibility. When Eddie was training as a child and teenager he did it all by himself, taking personal responsibility to a new level, when he reaches Calgary he hasn't got a clue how to Ski Jump but his courage see's him start jumping and despite ending up in hospital he continues to educate himself, studying and watching others (stretch mentality). Eventually, Bronson Peary, a former Olympic Ski Jumper played by Hugh Jackman agrees to partner with Eddie and coach him, after all, Eddie could die, Ski Jumping is incredibly dangerous - even more so when you don't know how to land!

Eddie follows Peary's playbook to the letter, training day and night - all to the classic montage of Hall & Oats "You Make My Dreams (Come True)'.

Soon enough our boys with their 6 traits and coach are ready. The 15th Olympic Winter Games are here along with 57 nations, 1,695 other athletes 60,000 spectators and 2 billion TV viewers.

Derice and his companions experience a torrid start on their first 2 (of 3) runs - Derice has been trying to Bobsled like the Swiss national team and it upsets the rhythm with his team, its at this moment they realise that with Bobsledding there are proven techniques but you also need to find your own style, you need to put your own personality into your process (just like sales), for the 3rd and final run they arent going to Bobsled like the Swiss, they're going to Bobsled like Jamaican's and that's where we witness the classic line

"Feel the Rhythm! Feel the Rhyme! Get on up, it's bobsled time! Cool Runnings!"

I'm sure everyone knows how the story finishes, in their final run they're in contention for a medal however their bobsled 'Cool Runnings' breaks and our hero's crash, we see Derice once again laying on the floor, looking at the finish line ahead of him. So close yet so far, they do however get up to the support of the crowd, the crowd that used to laugh at them and cross the finishing line on foot, leaving as heroes. They have been successful, they can leave proud.

Meanwhile, Eddie is also facing a challenge competing with the other Ski Jumping pros; in his final jump, however, he records a distance of 71.5 meters and whilst, unfortunately, this means Eddie finishes in last place - that's not enough to dampen his spirits and we see him dancing around the track like an Eagle. Eddie has set a new PB and a New British Olympic Record. Eddie couldn't be happier and his coach couldn't be prouder, Eddie isn't dead, he's achieved what he wanted and broken records along the way. The Eagle has Landed.

When both stories have concluded you're left with that 'feel good' vibe, you've seen two journeys with many similarities, both Eddie and Derice are desperate to participate at The Olympics and ultimately have their dreams crushed - does that stop them from achieving their goal? No... both clearly display the 6 traits over and over and these are the traits you need to be successful in sales and atheltics - they embrace and partner with a coach, they work their asses off, they believe it will happen and they take on personal responsibility to ensure that it does happen, they commit to self-development, learning as much as they can, they never stop, no matter what's thrown at them, they ignore the doubters and arguably most importantly, they have the courage to perform, no matter what the situation.

“I love jumping almost as much as I love proving people wrong” – Eddie the Eagle.

Calgary 88 saw world records broken, established many personal bests but some left a bigger mark than others, some soared like an Eagle and some injected a memorable Jamaican rhythm.

So, what can sales reps learn from Calgary 88?

Work hard, believe in yourself, take responsibility, commit to self development, have the courage to make things happen and find a coach, work with a sales manager who's going to help you achieve your goals, someone who's committed to helping you become the best you can be - as much as Eddie and Derice were the stars of their movies without the guidance and coaching of Irv and Bronson there wouldn't have been much of a story.

If you've enjoyed reading this post, I'd be chuffed if you gave it a like, share it with your network and add some comments below.

Thanks.

Mark