"What is morality?" she asked. "Judgment to distinguish right and wrong, vision to see the truth, courage to act upon it, dedication to that which is good, integrity to stand by the good at any price." -- Ayn Rand
Embracing mindful integrity at work, being meta-cognitive about your work ethic and commitment to the truth, allows you to be the kind of sales person that every client will want representing them and every new prospect will want to buy from. Integrating Mindful Integrity into your daily work can change actually your life as a professional sales person. How?
First, you will develop a deep sense of honesty and integrity in all that you do. These traits, combined with a strong foundation of respect for people, will advance your life in countless ways. People will come to know that you are an inherently good person and as such, you will no longer be considered a sales person pedaling goods or services. You will quickly become a trusted advisor, an educator, a coach. You will strive to help people become educated about their options regarding solutions that will meet their real needs and assisting them in making the decision that is right for their unique situation. Of course, the choice to live this way is up to you.
If you decide to embrace mindful integrity in your sales profession, two things with happen:
1.) You will make more sales
2.) You will find more happiness in your work
Your role will become that of educator, consultant, trusted advisor. You will identify and present solutions to those prospects who have a real need for the services you represent. Your clients will thank you for providing them with real solutions for the very real problems they are facing. You will seek to eliminate their pain and in doing so, the relationship you develop with your clients will be built on trust and support. The end result? Repeat business, referrals and testimonials leading to ever-greater sales results.
Over the years, I have met countless “professional” sales reps who sacrifice their integrity in a frantic attempt to reach their goals. These reps frantically begin to move outside the bounds of honest, tested-and-proven sales methods, to attempt to generate more sales. In the end, they not only "bend the truth" out of panic to reach their goals, but worse yet, dishonesty gradually becomes their modus operandi. They begin to believe that dishonesty is an acceptable means to achieve the desired results. Effective, proven sales processes fall to the wayside in response to panic or greed. This is a disservice to their clients, themselves, and their employers. Be watchful of this trap and remain distant from those who engage in this kind of thinking, or you too may find yourself bending the truth.
To avoid this pitfall, you must have a strong inner conviction of honesty which cannot be swayed. You must employ the use of proven sales tactics that will result in sales and satisfied clients. During my 18 years in professional sales, I have encountered numerous situations in which I was asked to participate in some form of dishonesty. Every time that I have found myself being asked to lie or misrepresent facts, I am still shocked.
You will likely encounter unethical crossroads in your own sales career. Be prepared. What will you do if you are asked to misrepresent the facts? If you practice mindful integrity, you will be better prepared to react to such requests in a professional way that actually raises the bar. You can set an example for others by demonstrating your own ethics. Decide today to make mindful integrity a part of the fabric of your sales ethos and you will soon see the rewards. Besides, life's too short to complicate it with lies and deceipt. Do yourself a favor and commit today to be an honest sales professional. When you do, I just bet you'll sleep better at night!
Exercise: Create an Integrity Motto for yourself and carry it with you to refer to each day. An integrity motto consists of those simple actions you will take to live your life with integrity each day. The more you meditate on these words at the start and end of each day, the more they will become an integral part of who you are and how you live.
Your Integrity Motto might look something like this:
- I am truthful and candid
- I do what is right and ethical
- I treat all people with respect
Now read it and re-read it until it becomes part of your subconscious! Have fun!
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