People Do What People See

The last 4 years have been intriguing, to say the least. Going back to 2020, in the space of 2 months, in Australia, we went from seeing the best of humanity in the collective response to the bushfire crisis, to then, unfortunately seeing the worst of humanity in the collective pillaging of essential supplies at supermarkets across the country at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. The fear and panic that was permeating throughout society was real, and it seemed to be fed by people’s actions, through posts on social media, as well as numerous reports in the media - a media that has a history of creating headlines in order to grab peoples attention. It was a period of massive uncertainty, which continues today, albeit from different sources, and in this environment, people can be afraid and anxious, and act accordingly. These times though also present us with opportunities, and whilst these opportunities may be very difficult to identify through the lens of fear and anxiety, there are still opportunities. And as leaders, we have a critically important function to perform in not only seeking out opportunities for ourselves, but helping others identify opportunities as well.

Something I say constantly is that people are listening to everything you say and watching everything you do. They are also listening for what you are not saying and watching what you are not doing. Especially today. Here is the thing - people do what people see. This is why we witnessed panic buying and stockpiling behaviours by shoppers in supermarkets at the beginning of COVID, resulting in supermarket chains having to introduce unprecedented rules and limits on customers and purchases. And there was actually no logical need for stockpiling. There was more than enough supplies in Australia for everyone to be able to obtain what they required - but as people saw others stockpile items, their natural response was to do the same, which then exponentially multiplied.

Today, in 2024, more than ever, our leaders need to stand up and lead. And I’m not just talking about our national leaders of government and business. I’m talking about all leaders, whether you are leading a sporting team, a sales team, a not for profit, a family, or in fact, if you are simply leading yourself. We all have the opportunity, or dare I say it, the critical obligation, to lead and demonstrate the behaviours that will change the tide and get us moving in a more positive and selfless direction.

Here are some thoughts on what we as leaders can be doing right now:

1. Role Model - as a leader, we must be consciously aware of our behaviour all of the time. I often say to leaders that we are ‘always on’ - there is never really an off switch. By this I mean we need to be always demonstrating the behaviours we belief in and espouse, because we are always being observed. And as soon as we begin demonstrating a behaviour that is inconsistent with our message, our credibility reduces, which leads to a diminishing of trust. Remember, people do what people see. Are you right now, role modelling the behaviours that are consistent with your beliefs, in everything you do? If not, stop, reset, reload, and move forward.
2. Look for opportunities - today, more than ever, people are looking to leaders for direction, for ideas, for certainty. It has often been said that the best leaders have the unshakeable capacity to be certain in uncertain times. Now this does not suggest that the leader is eternally and unrealistically optimistic in the face of adversity, or that they ignore the challenge or minimise it. What they do exceptionally well is, considering the current facts, they are able to search for and identify opportunities, because they know they are there. And this level of certainty in spite of the challenges, can increase people’s confidence and approach. What opportunities can you identify today, because they are there?
3. Don’t buy into the herd mentality - Human nature can easily lead us to follow the herd, especially based on what we are seeing splashed across our screens right now in relation to peoples behaviour. We need to take our health & wellbeing and that of our families and others very seriously and follow protocols & principles that underpin that. However, as leaders, we must stand up and start moving in a different direction in terms of behaviour. As clichéd as it sounds, we need to be ‘zigging whilst everyone else is zagging’. What does this mean in a practical sense? Well, fundamentally, it is about demonstrating a higher level of self awareness and selflessness to shift the dial from the extraordinary levels of selfishness we are still seeing right now, and look for opportunities to serve others. Reach out to people to check in on them, and be courteous and friendly, offer to help someone else in need, no matter how small the gesture. If more leaders did this, we would rapidly shift the dial.
4. Be conscious of language - great leaders have an amazing gift of being able to effectively communicate, whether it be in the written form, or through verbal communication. How has your language been lately? Have you found yourself using highly expressive pessimistic adjectives like we are seeing in the media, or have you been very measured? Our responsibility as leaders is to create environments where people feel safe and certain, and hence our language needs to reflect that. This is not about minimising the current situation - it is about being very intentional on our messaging, and the specific language we use in that messaging. Ensure that the language you are using with your team is engaging, practical and grounded. This will only enhance your credibility and the level of confidence your team has in you.
5. Be grateful - in very difficult times, we can easily lose sight of what we currently have because our focus is often on the external and what we don’t have, or what we may lose. Remember this, one of the greatest gifts we all have as humans is the gift to choose. Which means, in every situation we find ourselves in, we have the ability to choose our response. Be grateful for that, be intentional with that, and take time to adequately review the situation before deciding on a course of action. It is in times like now that we must increase our gratitude meter more than ever. Really focus in on what you are & can be grateful for, because this will have an immediate positive impact on your mindset & your physiology, and hence will be readily observable by others. This increases the likelihood of others increasing their gratitude meter as well.

Whilst we are all continuing to face uncertain times, we have a tremendous opportunity as leaders to create a lasting impact on not only ourselves but the people around us, through our actions and behaviours that we demonstrate. Remember, people do what people see, and if we can have more leaders demonstrating effective and constructive behaviours, the stronger we can all be. So be the Model of Excellence you would like to see in your team and environment.

ARE YOU COMMITTED TO BECOMING AN EXCEPTIONAL SALES LEADER?

I'm looking for 4 Sales Leaders to work with 1:1 who are committed to achieving at least a 25% uplift in sales team engagement, sales & revenue over the next 3 months.

To be considered, you must be able to say YES to the following:

• You are currently leading a sales team of at least 5 people
• You are working in a business with at least $10m annualised revenue
• You are committed to excellence & becoming an exceptional sales leader
• You are committed to creating an exceptional sales culture for your team to excel
• You are open to new ideas & willing to invest in your growth and the growth of your team

If that's you (or someone you know) send me a DM with the comment 'EXCEPTIONAL' and I'll get you all the details.