Taming the Salesperson’s Ego

When we think of salespeople, we think of big egos.  Not anymore as we learn that confidence and humility are the keys to success.

There’s a great interview with the author of Egonomics in Guy’s How to Change the World Blog. He interviews Steven Smith on his new book and dives into Ego- what is too much, too little, or just enough.

It’s mid-September and we are reaching the end of one of the most important sales quarters of the year. Egos are flying in many sales organizations right now at both the team and management level. Here are four warning signs to watch out for:

1. Being defensive- if you have been chasing a forecasted opportunity and hear back from your prospect they have decided to go with the competition. Take time to understand why, learn who made the decision and probe more. If you spend less time being defensive and more time trying to understand their position, you might salvage the deal.

2. Being comparative-when you are too competitive, you actually give too much of your power away to the competition. Instead, take the high road and don’t get caught in comparing your products or services but instead spend more time talking about results you can deliver.

3. Seeking acceptance- Every salesperson wants to see their name on top of the white board but working hard and being disciplined is the best way to get there instead of pushing others aside.

4. Showcasing brilliance-spend more time being intelligent, honest, loyal and professional.

Steve suggests we build healthy egos and strike up the perfect balance between ego and humility which he calls “ego equilibrium” my new phrase for the week.