In a recent study at the University of Chicago some of the women who participated were told that women do not do well on math tests. Not surprisingly, those women did worse than men, and the women in the control group, on the tests. What was surprising was that they also did more poorly than all other participants on tests of other common skills.

In business, the sales process often requires that we overcome the objections of our prospects. The most common include: I don't need it, I can't afford it, It won't work, I don't have the time, I don't see the value, I'm not ready to ________ (fill in the blank). In our sales role we are prepared to respond to these objections. We ask questions, we find out the history and we uncover the emotions that give rise to the objections. We don't give up in the face of objection, we respond to it.

Have you ever heard yourself making these same objections about something you might need to do for your own business? Would you take the time to truly examine them and begin to respond? Just as the women in the study were influenced by suggestion, many of our own objections are actually the result of what the people around us have said or done. These objections are then reinforced by our own fears, doubts, and uncertainty. Because we fail to examine them, we wind up accepting "suggestion" as fact.

The next time you find yourself raising these objections, stop and think. "Is this something I truly believe?"

Our local papers have columns dedicated to resolving the complaints of consumers who have reached the end of their rope trying to solve a problem with a purchase. I'm sure you've read them and thought to yourself "Unbelievable, how could this situation have reached this point?"

From now on, whenever you read one of these columns think to yourself "How can I make sure my customers never have an experience like this with my organization?"

Wherever you go, whatever you do, there might be an opportunity to network. Be prepared. Pack your business cards, have something to write with and write on, and be open to the possibility of meeting some new friends. Find ways to make others feel comfortable and you'll find yourself with opportunities you would never have uncovered if you had actually been working.