Words are words, excuses are excuses: performance is reality
TweetI’ve been loving watching the Olympics this past week – which is new for me. Usually, I’m fairly ho-hum on watching the Olympics, but this year I’ve really enjoyed it. Not just the Americans, but everyone who is performing and trying their best. In a discussion about the amazing run of golds by Michael Phelps, someone quoted a business book (they didn’t say which one) that had a quote: “Words are words, excuses are excuses, but performance is reality”
This is VERY true in sales. In the end, it doesn’t matter how many words you use, and how many excuses you may have for NOT selling, or getting that meeting, or closing that deal. In the end, its all about your performance.
While this sounds harsh and cold, its the true reality. Nobody gets paid, the lights don’t turn on, and the coffee doesn’t brew unless sales makes the deals. We are the front line, and while it may seem heartless when a sales manager or COO or CEO says, “what have you done for me lately?” Its the reality in running a business and its all about delivering results.
If Phelps loses, while many may be disappointed, there are no real consequences. We, on the front lines of our companies have real consequences from personal to corporate.
Its all about performance. It’s a tough place to be, but your company counts on you, and more importantly the employees of your company count on you. And when you do perform…. you get the rewards.
