The Leaders That Actually Influence & Inspire Don't Try Motivation, They Know Better

The best leaders are the ones who do more than just earn trust, they trust their teams first.

If you don't trust your team, stop trying to lead.

If you don't trust your potential partners, stop selling.

If you don't earn trust by giving it first, no amount of motivation will ever work.

Influence is founded upon trust.

"He who does not trust enough will not be trusted." -- Lao Tzu

In order to get respect, you to need to give it first. Especially when it comes to leading and influencing others. All the success of company, team, implementation, and product revolve around the ability to lead and influence.

Leadership is EVERYTHING.

Accounting is leadership. Sales is leadership. Customer Service is leadership. IT is leadership. Logistics is leadership. DevOps is leadership. Strategy is leadership.

EVERYTHING is leadership.  

Leadership is not words, it is communication. Everything a leader does communicates who they are and how they feel about others. Leaders make others feel important.

The very best leaders do what the greatest sales professionals do.

In addition to the foundational character aspects of care, integrity and curiosity, I learned that the tool-set needed to be able to succeed in today's global market includes these 3 distinct skills or abilities:

1. Active Listening

"Listening is simply caring in action. Without caring first, there is no true listening, and no true communication." - Anthony Iannarino

The foundation. You need to stop moving your mouth. How well you listen always sets the foundation for every relationship. Leaders need to listen.

As opposed to just passively receiving information, active listening means asking questions and making sure that you concentrate, respond, and remember what was heard. Active listening is impactful because it helps your client feel validated and while you learn at the same time.

2. Developing Deep Understanding

"The biggest barrier to even beginning is usually the lack of a deep understanding of the customer in the first place." - Neil Patel 

If you listen but do not understand what the colleague or customer is saying, no amount listening will ever help. You will never guide them toward the best decision, if you do not understand the product, the industry, the potential applications, the potential challenges, and the current situation.

Developing true understanding is not easy. It means asking thoughtful questions, it means studying on your own time, it means thinking deeper and connecting the dots. It means being truly curious. If you are curious you will do what it takes to understand.

3. Crafting Impactful Scenarios

" In fact, neuroscientists have discovered that people who have had the emotional center of their brain destroyed, yet still have the intellectual and reasoning centers of their brain intact, are almost incapable of making decisions. Without emotions to guide them, they agonize over even the smallest decisions. Simply put, people require emotions to make decisions" - Jeb Blount

Once you have listened and truly understand all the important facts and situations, scenarios are where you really find success. As you explain applicable scenarios, this is when the customers actually begin to trust you as more than a vendor.

Scenarios are stories that the client connects with because the same situations are happening to them. Asking question based on scenarios leads to better information. Once they have explained different situations then you can fill in the gaps with the best solution, or even better create a new reality. When you are using scenarios to help them see a better future, be certain that the scenarios focus on where your product or service can have the most impact. Make sure your demos are scenario based rather than feature based. 

Scenario application is not just about making the current situation better. Most of the time, a good scenario paints a picture that was never thought of before or shows an insight that is only gained through serious expertise.

Your value as a leader is helping others reach their potential. 

In sales and leadership, the value you add is your ability to help people have hope for better experiences. Once they have hope, then they can make decisions that drive growth and satisfaction.

"If you want performance at scale: Select the right people, provide them with the proper training and tools and then give them room to get the job done!" - Brigette Hyacinth

In order to help drive that hope, the future you help them paint needs to be clear and compelling.

The vision needs to become real to them, and that is done through the effective use of scenario creation and explanation. Scenarios cannot be created though until true listening and deep understanding is already in place.

Tell better stories by using impactful scenarios. Humans connect with stories. We connect our past to our future with the stories we tell ourselves. We connect to others with the stories we listen to. Stories help us feel emotions and have the power to transform. The world’s greatest teachers all teach/taught with stories.

The best way to help others, is to be open, to be honest, and to stay curious. If you do this, your leadership (and sales) will grow.

You are more powerful than you realize. You are stronger than you think. As you help others, you will maximize your potential.

***Your Turn: How do YOU build and earn trust as a leader??

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P.S. - Want to know what books you should be reading right now? Check out this list.