One of the big differences between a manager and a leader is the leader is constantly learning.
The leader is never happy thinking they know everything. They know there is always another piece of information to be learned.
But merely learning new things is not good enough. We have to not only learn, but also then apply it. In my book this is what separates average leaders from great leaders.
What have you learned already today and how will you use it?
Children are masters of this. They’re constantly learning and allowing their mind and their world to be open. Unfortunately, we as adults somehow forget this basic concept and ultimately it costs us.
Push yourself in everything you do to learn something new. Push yourself in everything you do to then apply something you learned previously to help make it better.
When I share this concept with salespeople, they are quick to think I’m talking about learning things about their customers. No, I’m way past that. I would hope learning new things about your customer is something that is already baked into your sales DNA.
I’m talking about a much bigger picture.
Be open. Be receptive. And most of all, be inquisitive. Great leaders know there is always something that can be learned, regardless of how many times they have seen the same thing or been part of the same process.
When we allow ourselves to be open to learning, we can then begin to be in a position where we see things others do not. To drive this to the next level, take a journal and record each day the new ideas you learned. Alongside the ideas, then write how you intend to use the idea tomorrow.
Doing this simple activity will open your mind to an incredible array of new opportunities, ultimately resulting in more success.
Sales leadership is not doing the same thing as everyone else. It’s doing what others don’t see because they’ve chosen not to be continually learning.
Copyright 2013, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.
