The sign said “Crocodile Safety,” followed by the words, “Very Low Crocodile Risk.” Seeing a sign like that, I naturally began to wonder what they mean by “very low crocodile risk.”
Does low risk mean the worst case is you’ll lose a foot or an arm? Or does it mean the other person swimming with you will be attacked first? Such a sign certainly does leave you wondering!
The people who put the sign in place certainly have their definition of “low risk,” but is that the same definition those of us reading the sign have of “low risk?”
This sign is a powerful lesson for us as sales leaders. We can never forget that it is meaningless what we think something means — what matters is what the people with whom we are communicating think.
I like this sign for one very simple reason. It’s a powerful reminder for all of us to never forget why it’s so important to ask questions. It’s only through the asking of questions that we’ll begin to know what the other person is thinking.
Until we ask questions, what we’re communicating is merely our thinking.
After reading this sign, would you choose to go swimming? I did, but only after other people I was with had assessed the location on multiple occasions, determined the risk and chose to go in the water.
For me this is another vital lesson in how opinions and interpretations of things will be impacted by those around us. A belief a person may hold individually can and will be impacted by others, ultimately shaping the final decision.
Yes, the swim was great, and yes, we all made it out of the water without any issues!
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Copyright 2017, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results.
