Are You Stuck on an Escalator?

Posted by Dave Stein on April 21, 2011

0 comments | 965 reads

There are some valuable videos on YouTube that I’ve used as the foundation for meaningful discussions at the executive level about elevating the level of sales effectiveness within ESR’s clients’ companies.

A few weeks ago I posted a question on LinkedIn, Quora, and Focus.com seeking the responders’ favorite videos. Thanks to all of you for your suggestions.

After careful consideration, I decided to use the one below for each of the five sales effectiveness-building sessions I facilitated in Ireland during the past two weeks. Kristi Fox, who runs the amazing Client Relationship Advisor organization for Minnesota Life (A Securian Company), passed this video along to me several months ago.

The premise here is inertia and functional fixedness. When I’m in front of a group such as I was last week, I ask whether anyone has ever gotten stuck on an elevator. A hand may go up here and there. I talk about the lack of control you have in a situation like that. We discuss external, systemic factors that inhibit sales success, such as the economy (still a major factor in Ireland), changing customer buying patterns, and the competition. When you’re stuck in an elevator, you can ring the alarm bell or dial 9-1-1 on your cell phone, but until someone gets that door open at or near a floor, you’re literally stuck in that elevator.

Getting stuck on an escalator is quite a different story. Many of us are stuck, figuratively of course, with nothing keeping us there but our own lack of knowledge, lack of creativity, aversion to risk, guidance from others, inertia, functional fixedness, or just plain old complacency.

When you see the video, then are exposed to proven strategies and approaches that others in your situation have adopted and, as a result, leveraged to overcome similar challenges, the penny drops.

Here is the video. First enjoy, then let me know your thoughts.

Photo source: Village Voice blog

Note: Please join me Tuesday, April 26th at 2:00 ET for a webinar, “The Future of Sales Training – This Time it’s Personal” hosted by Sales Performance International.

Republished with author's permission from original post by Dave Stein.

Dave Stein

After a career in sales, then as a sales consultant, trainer, and author, Dave Stein is now founder/CEO of ES Research Group, Inc., which publishes independent evaluations and comparisons sales training companies and their programs and services. ESR is recognized as the leading authority on sales training programs and sales performance improvement. For the past twenty years Dave has focused on sales performance improvement, sales effectiveness and especially sales training.

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