‘Who (or what) are you trying to change by doing this work? From what to what?’
What an underrated question!
Don’t settle for the stock answers: ‘increase sales,’ ‘drive formulary acceptance,’ ….
Your strategy and its tactics have the power to TRANSFORM your customers. Sales and formulary placement are just one of its MANY side effects.
This slight shift in focus makes a world of difference.
Our empathy muscles get a nice workout in the strategy room.
Before discounting each others’ ideas, be curious. Ask these questions.
Together, we are destined to come up with something remarkable.
‘Why did it happen the way it did?’
That will probably lead to more constructive actions than spite or accepting temporary defeat as permanent.
If you don’t know why you failed, you are no wiser than when you began.
Your pull-through will only work if it’s being used.
You did the hard part of creating it. Orchestrating its execution is the next big challenge. Go!
You do not have a monopoly on the truth. All you have is a perspective, and it may not be 100% correct.
State your observation and solicit their perspectives to get all the facts on the table. You may just learn something that will change your perspective.
When there’s friction, humility is an effective lubricant.
When we seek feedback, are we really? Or are we seeking confirmation instead?
In the former, negative feedback sets off curiosity rather than disappointment.
What you’re creating is important and helpful. It matters. It’s going to bend the curve and make an impact.
And the feedback you get is a gift. Like all gifts, you can accept it or dismiss it (the discernment is actually an important skill that all of us can learn). Just don’t get disappointed.
We’re counting on you.
Work is what most of us do to pass time until we die. No wonder we’re so inspired (!)
Believe it or not, work is actually one of the most powerful spiritual activities—if we let it. It’s the perfect opportunity to stretch our intellect and exercise our empathy muscles. It’s also a great lab for testing out principles of Truth.
One of the principles of Truth is just that: offer your efficiencies to Almighty.
When we align our OUTLOOK with the Truth, our actions follow—and habits—and destiny. That’s just outlook’s genetic nature.
The Truth works.
When projects pile up, we become eager to just get them done so we can move on to the next.
Each project is the most beautiful and magical gift. It has potential.
If you’re responsible for the project’s generation, operation, or destruction: you hold the key to its potential.
Your field team is a valuable source of untapped intelligence.
Talk to them. In a 10-people meeting is good. One-on-one is even better. It just might give you the inspiration you were seeking.
Who are you serving?
Whose job description is actually to be face-to-face in front of these customers?
Seek out their feedback. They’ll be able to share intelligence with you in a way surveys can’t.
Sitting with him for an hour could save you weeks’ worth of research—and its associated cost.
