What Got You Here Won't Get You There

What's "What Got You Here Won't Get You There in Sales" about?

• Focus on Sales Growth: The book, authored by Marshall Goldsmith, Don Brown, and Bill Hawkins, is about helping successful salespeople take their careers to the next level by identifying and eliminating ineffective habits.
• Behavioral Change: It emphasizes the importance of stopping certain behaviors rather than starting new ones to improve sales effectiveness.
• Empathy and Connection: A key theme is the importance of empathy and building meaningful connections with customers to enhance sales performance.
• Practical Guide: It serves as a practical guide for sales professionals to shed habits that hold them back and adopt strategies that foster growth and success.

Why should I read "What Got You Here Won't Get You There in Sales"?

• Improve Sales Skills: The book provides insights into improving sales skills by focusing on behavioral changes that lead to better customer relationships.
• Proven Strategies: It offers strategies backed by research and real-world examples from successful sales leaders and organizations.
• Empathy in Sales: Emphasizes the role of empathy in sales, which is crucial for building trust and long-term customer relationships.
• Actionable Advice: The book is filled with actionable advice that can be applied immediately to enhance sales performance.

What are the key takeaways of "What Got You Here Won't Get You There in Sales"?

• Stop Ineffective Habits: Focus on eliminating behaviors that hinder sales success rather than just adding new skills.
• Empathy is Crucial: Building deep connections with customers through empathy is essential for sales growth.
• Behavioral Change Process: The book outlines a process for identifying and changing ineffective habits, including getting feedback and practicing FeedForward.
• Continuous Improvement: Sales success requires ongoing personal development and adapting to changing customer needs.

What are the best quotes from "What Got You Here Won't Get You There in Sales" and what do they mean?

• "What got you here won’t get you there": This quote encapsulates the book's central theme that past success does not guarantee future success without change.
• "Empathy balancing ego—that will get us there": Highlights the importance of balancing self-confidence with understanding and caring for the customer's perspective.
• "We spend a lot of time teaching people what to do; we don’t spend enough time teaching people what to stop doing": Emphasizes the need to focus on eliminating negative behaviors to improve effectiveness.
• "With follow-up, we get better": Stresses the importance of consistent follow-up in achieving lasting behavioral change and sales success.

How does "What Got You Here Won't Get You There in Sales" define empathy in sales?

• Understanding and Caring: Empathy is defined as the action of understanding and being sensitive to the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of others.
• Hardwired Connection: The book explains that empathy is a natural, hardwired human trait that can be leveraged in sales to build trust and rapport.
• Balance with Ego: Empathy should balance the salesperson's ego, ensuring that the customer's needs are prioritized over the salesperson's desire to close a deal.
• Empathy Erosion: The book warns of the erosion of empathy in modern sales practices and stresses its importance for long-term success.

What is the "success delusion" mentioned in "What Got You Here Won't Get You There in Sales"?

• Overestimating Contributions: The success delusion refers to the tendency of successful salespeople to overestimate their contributions and skills.
• Confidence vs. Complacency: While confidence is necessary, it can lead to complacency and resistance to change if not managed properly.
• Four Key Beliefs: The delusion is built on four beliefs: I have succeeded, I can succeed, I will succeed, and I choose to succeed.
• Barrier to Change: This mindset can be a barrier to recognizing the need for change and adopting new behaviors for continued success.

How does "What Got You Here Won't Get You There in Sales" suggest handling feedback?

• Feedback vs. FeedForward: The book distinguishes between feedback (past-focused) and FeedForward (future-focused) as tools for improvement.
• Soliciting Feedback: Encourages salespeople to actively seek feedback from stakeholders to understand current performance and areas for improvement.
• Non-Judgmental Listening: Emphasizes the importance of listening to feedback without judgment or defensiveness, simply acknowledging it with a "thank you."
• Regular Follow-Up: Suggests regular follow-up with stakeholders to track progress and reinforce positive changes.

What role does "FeedForward" play in "What Got You Here Won't Get You There in Sales"?

• Future-Focused Suggestions: FeedForward involves asking for suggestions on what to do in the future, rather than focusing on past mistakes.
• Encourages Creativity: It encourages creative thinking and new ideas for improvement without the baggage of past failures.
• Positive Interaction: The process is designed to be positive and constructive, fostering a supportive environment for change.
• Practical Application: FeedForward can be practiced with anyone, not just those familiar with the salesperson, making it a versatile tool for growth.

What are the 16 habits to abandon according to "What Got You Here Won't Get You There in Sales"?

• Failure to Be Present: Not being fully engaged with the customer.
• Vocal Filler: Overusing meaningless words and phrases.
• Selling Past the Close: Continuing to sell after the customer is ready to buy.
• Selective Hearing: Not actively listening to the customer.
• Contact without Purpose: Reaching out without a valid reason.
• Curb Qualifying: Judging prospects superficially.
• Using Tension as a Tool: Creating unnecessary pressure.
• One-Upping: Trying to outdo the customer in conversation.
• Overfamiliarity: Being too informal too soon.
• Withholding Passion and Energy: Lacking enthusiasm.
• Explaining Failure: Making excuses for mistakes.
• Never Having to Say You’re Sorry: Avoiding apologies.
• Throwing Others under the Bus: Blaming colleagues for failures.
• Propagandizing: Overreliance on company rhetoric.
• Wasting Energy: Engaging in unproductive activities.
• Obsessing over the Numbers: Focusing too much on metrics at the expense of relationships.

How does "What Got You Here Won't Get You There in Sales" address the transition from service to sales?

• Service to Sales Shift: The book discusses the increasing trend of service roles incorporating sales responsibilities.
• Mindset Change: Emphasizes the need for a mindset shift from problem-solving to customer engagement and sales.
• Training and Support: Highlights the importance of training and support for service professionals transitioning to sales roles.
• Balancing Agendas: Advises on balancing the service agenda with sales goals to avoid customer dissatisfaction.

What is the "comfort paradox" in "What Got You Here Won't Get You There in Sales"?

• Veteran Salespeople: The comfort paradox refers to the tendency of experienced salespeople to become complacent due to their success.
• Automatic Performance: While experience can lead to automatic performance, it can also result in unthinking arrogance.
• Need for Consciousness: The book advocates for reintroducing conscious purpose in sales interactions to avoid falling into ineffective habits.
• Continuous Improvement: Encourages sales veterans to maintain a beginner's mindset and continuously seek improvement.

How does "What Got You Here Won't Get You There in Sales" suggest using empathy to balance ego?

• Empathy as a Tool: Empathy is presented as a tool to balance the salesperson's ego, ensuring customer needs are prioritized.
• Building Trust: Empathy helps build trust and rapport with customers, leading to stronger relationships and increased sales.
• Natural Connection: The book emphasizes that empathy is a natural human trait that can be leveraged in sales.
• Avoiding Ego-Driven Mistakes: By focusing on empathy, salespeople can avoid ego-driven mistakes such as one-upping and using tension as a tool.