SELLability

HISTORY serves two major purposes:

To predict the future through the past
To guide what should be done to meet the future.

History must be based on facts without opinions, guesses, or spin, on real and factual data.

HISTORY’S SECOND PURPOSE:
To guide what should be done to meet the future.

There are roughly three categories that people fall into. Three types of people who actively create the future.

They are best described as:

Leaders

This term is used instead of owners, founders, executives, etc. as these may not be leaders. Leaders dream dreams, set goals, create plans, and have visions of a better tomorrow, and are willing to move mountains to achieve these for the good of all.

Leaders lead. They can solve problems rapidly and thoroughly within the given resources they have or see opportunities before anyone else and cleverly take advantage of them again within the resources they have. They think of others and build tremendous teams under them.

Leaders are found in great corporations, medium-sized companies, and small businesses. They greatly affect people positively and should be valued. They are not always successful, but they always try to be. They are rare, numbering only in the tens of thousands worldwide.

Managers

Again the term is specifically chosen to describe what is meant. Executives, Directors, and Supervisors are titles, but they may be or may not be good or competent managers. There are always examples of people who are identified as mere employees who are in fact managers and “run the place”.

Managers can take a leader’s dreams, goals, plans, and visions on paper and put them into existence in the real world. They coordinate activities among their teams, rapidly solve inherent problems that result from creating something where nothing had previously existed, and more importantly, they care for their people and make them successful.

Leaders often acknowledge their people especially their managers who often graduate up to being leaders themselves. Managers by their actions, long hours, and dedication make both leader's and employees’ successes possible are to be valued. Good, competent managers number in hundreds of thousands.

Team

The best term I know to describe what is meant for this category is “Team”. While workers, employees, personnel, or staff are often used they don’t convey adequately what team means. A team could be said to be:

A number of individuals with the purpose to join forces or efforts, working together to achieve or accomplish the vision, dreams, goals, and plans of their leader, through the direction, coordination, and supervision of their managers.

Team members are self-motivated, work hard, and care about their fellow team members, have respect for and faith in their managers, and have loyalty and commitment to their leaders. They know their jobs and the jobs of others around them and are always willing to jump in and help each other. They think of their company as if it was their own and drive for it to succeed.

You hear leaders and managers often mention and thank their team. Additionally, in companies known for their exceptional culture and being a great place to work, it is often attributed to the company’s “great team of employees”.

These three categories cannot be underestimated as throughout history these are the people who have brought about stability, security, prosperity, and certainty about the future, following crises and catastrophes.

Unfortunately, there is a fourth category that I normally simply ignore and spend very little time on. Yet during crises, they do get in the way and therefore I mention them here.

4. In-The-Way

“In-The-Way” is a descriptive term that fits this category very well as these people do GET in the way. If the above three categories are going down a path together to accomplish a goal or achieve something positive, these people get in the way blocking the path.

At the very best, the people in this category sit around, spread worry and do very little but complain. They are depressing to be around and there is a noticeable relief when they are absent. You can often spot them as you will have a natural feeling of apprehension or dread of seeing them or having to interact with them.

At their worse, these people secretly love chaos and destruction as they see it as a way to weaken others around them. It makes them feel superior to others. They spread upset, worry and fear. They speak only of the problems while never offering solutions. When they can, they will try to dominate others to protect themselves and when they fail at that, they will attempt to undermine, belittle, and make less of others behind their backs.

These people fear others and are afraid others will find out their inability to selflessly help others or create anything positive. I spent more time here describing them than they deserve but they do go crazy over anybody trying to solve problems or create something positive.

Therefore, you must be aware of your surroundings and spot them when they appear getting in your way. People who fall into this category can be anyone; relatives, so-called “friends”, colleagues, bosses, employees who report to you, or mere acquaintances.

It is best to just ignore them by saying firmly, “You are getting in the way”. Many will simply grumble and walk off as they know they have been spotted causing trouble. Some will blow up and get mad, others break down and start crying and a few will promise to reform their ways and help. Your only response to any of these reactions is to say, “See, you ARE getting in the way, please go”. If they going to reform, they will have to do it without distracting you and consuming your valuable time.

Remember if they can, they will try to stop you or what you are trying to create or at least slow you up. Their many tricks include promising to reform, professing they are only trying to help, pleading to be given another chance, or saying you are not being fair. But doing the above will get you to arrive where you are going faster and if someone really wants to reform, they need to work it out without your help.

As detailed above in the examples of past crises, the future holds unforeseen opportunities that will be discovered by Leaders, organized and planned out by Managers, and accomplished by Team Members. Although it is hard to predict where specific opportunities will appear or what they will be, people in the first 3 categories must prepare themselves to take advantage of opportunities when they do appear.

Anything that improves one’s ability to perform their jobs no matter which of the above three categories they are in, is better than spending your time only binge-watching TV series or only playing video games, etc. What do you gain once you finish a series? What have you gained after a video game playing session besides passing time?

Sure, watch some and play some but also do something that improves you and puts you in a position to take advantage of the coming opportunities so you personally, your company, and the country recover rapidly. Here are some possibilities:

Catch up on the latest productivity technology especially video conferencing which surely will see continued popularity.
Learn or refresh your knowledge of the latest in project management technology and software.
Building websites and other online innovations will boom especially if retail stores fail to recover or if people who have been forced into ordering products online find it too convenient and continue to do so after the crisis passes.
With people working from home becoming a trend, an innovative app that tracks and encourages productivity seems to be a surefire winner.
Anything that improves your ability to communicate is time well spent.

Finally, this research was sponsored by an online sales training company. The CEO there wanted to provide the above facts to people to reassure them that there will be a better future after this crisis passes. Further, she wanted to know if her sales training would be of help to people to prepare them for the coming future.

I will take a moment to talk about the benefits of sales training:

The obvious benefit, of course, is trained salespeople will be in high demand during the economic recovery and historically they are very well compensated with high salaries and benefits.
But beyond that no matter which of the 3 categories you find yourself in, you will need to sell yourself, your vision, dreams, plans, ideas, etc.
The key to all sales training is the ability to communicate effectively so it fits perfectly in whatever type of corporation, company, or business you find yourself in.
When you know the technology of how to sell, you have the freedom to go anywhere and work for anybody.
There is a sales technology based on the research of the top salespeople and what they do in common when they are selling. This was researched for over 25 years so others could learn their most successful best practices.

Regardless of what you decide to do, DO something now to create your future.