The Midweek
 Motivator

Audience Development Group
Hurry Up, Slow Down                                                    April 24th, 2013 
 
 
Tim Moore
Tim Moore, Managing Partner Audience Development Group

Managing Partner

Audience Development Group

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Greetings!

When I was faster I was always behind  - Neil Young

 

If war is politics influenced by the use of force, business is a game influenced by the use of talent and time. With each passing year the universal theme is time-poverty and increased technical speed under the banner of faster, faster...until the thrill of speed overcomes your fear of death.

 

But there is plenty of evidence to suggest no amount of flimsy apologia can right a wrong when traveling too fast kills a project with high hopes or a valued relationship. Haste can indeed make waste. It's hard to reprogram ourselves to guard against the faster-is-always-better dogma.

 

Super sales motivator Don Beveridge shared a story that remains prominent in my mind; it's worth filing away. Beveridge' reputation as a 5-star sales-gunslinger is documented when it comes to jump-starting performance in companies as large as Honeywell or as compact as a radio group. Don recalled a client in Houston who had engaged his luminescent system with commensurate results. Among the agreed-to disciplines in that relationship was a standard requiring all sales people to make 12 full-scale presentations each week. Less than 12 would be substandard, everyone agreed.

 

The consultant-client relationship hummed along until one morning Beveridge picked up an "urgent" message to call his Houston client as soon as possible. Upon reaching the VP of sales Beveridge heard, "Don, haven't we agreed our sellers are to make 12 full-scale presentations every week? Isn't that the agreement? One of our people is setting a lousy example in the building."

 

Don acknowledged in fact that was the compact and asked, "Is someone not meeting that number? Who is it?" His agitated client replied, followed by a request for Beveridge to get on a plane and get down to Houston to manage some redirection.

 

Beveridge agreed to do exactly that but asked, "If you don't mind, tell me about Tom's sales performance has been lately." Crickets chirping...followed by throat clearing and a somewhat softened response. "Well...uh, he's the top seller and he's leading the group...but damn it Don, he's not meeting the presentation goal of 12 complete presentations every week; he's only averaging ten! What do you think we should do about it Don?" Beveridge hesitated for a few seconds then calmly offered, "I think we should cut him back to six."  

 

Often overweening egos in the big office fail to realize there is no template or single path to the top. It's a complicated study best left for another column, except to add regardless of endeavor, all human beings do not arrive at greatness the same way at the same time. Ask coaches about "project players," or a great teacher about wide variances in students; some of whom are slower out of the gate, only to finish first.

 

As a personal anecdote, the youngest Moore daughter was tested in 4th grade and a counselor insouciantly offered, "Your daughter predicts as a mid-pack student and we should put her on that pathway." You may assume her parents weren't impressed with that burst of clairvoyance.

 

Eight years hence Nicole graduated 4th in class, was accepted to one of the Seven Sisters colleges graduating cum laude, ultimately completing graduate work in England. Her story isn't at all unique but serves to emphasize that "speed" and "talent" aren't always the capstone of success. Goals and objectives are important. Meeting expectations are equally valuable. But in the end, how rapidly someone achieves success is of less importance.
 

 

Sincerely,

Tim Moore

Tim Moore

Managing Partner 

Audience Development Group

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