By Steven Gareau
Jan. 5, 2012
Look at a suspension bridge. You may not expect it, but at each cable on a bridge, there are gigantic concrete “anchors” that hold the bridge in place so it won’t get dislodged in a storm. Most people aren’t looking for anchors on a bridge, but they’re vital all the same. It can be the same for people. For a salesperson, the “anchors” are what holds that person in place in the face of rejection, lost deals, cold-calling, and other challenges. This includes your values, beliefs, and the habits they develop.
Honesty, Integrity and Morals
One of the biggest keys to my success in business was that the people I worked with could trust what I told them.
Honesty, integrity and morals are anchors because they help hold you to the values you need, when you may feel pulled in another direction. They’re a support in that it is an essential part of building your career success.
A Story
I know of a company that had a solidly profitable account worth nearly $20 million a year in billings. The vendor’s founder had built strong relationships with the key personnel within the customer company.
After the vendor company’s founder had sold the business upon retirement, an executive with the customer company contacted him to say that there was a lack of communication with the vendor, and that the new owner of the vendor company failed to address the customer’s concerns.
What is surprising is that the customer still feels the loyalty that was built up by the founder, which has left a long-lasting impression even though the founder no longer has any involvement or ownership. What is even more surprising is that the founder’s footprint survived beyond his expectations.
To top it off -- the new management at the vendor company let their lack of integrity lose them a key account.