Do you know the difference between a rich man and a broke man?
A rich man makes it a point to learn all he can from everyone he comes in contact with.
A broke man isn’t interested in learning anything from anyone because he thinks he already knows everything.
Certainly not true on all counts, but you get my point.
The key to success for any leader is to seek out helpful information and use that information to become more successful and move himself and his team closer to the goal.
As a sales leader and/or manager it is imperative that you make learning a habit. Not just once a year, but all the time. You need to train your brain and your team’s brain to learn.
There are many ways to learn, including…
- Reading, of course.
- Attending workshops/seminars/lectures
- Listening to Podcasts, CDs, DVDs
- Participating in mastermind groups
- Conducting team sharing and challenging exercises
The fact is that we were all born knowing nothing and everything we know was learned from someone or something.
And truthfully, for some people, learning can be addictive…but in a good way. The more you learn…and apply that knowledge…the easier it is to achieve success. Others unfortunately downsize their learning after high school or college, or in mid-life.
Rainmakers are the ultimate learners. They know that having a learning mindset is at the heart of their success. No matter how accomplished they are, they are always in a perpetual quest to learn. They have unbridled curiosity. They are idea seekers. They are able to see things differently because of their perspective. And yet they know that in order to really learn, they must practice relentlessly.
Stephen Covey in his classic, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, introduced the idea of “Sharpening-the-saw – the process of preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have – YOU!” That you must strive for self-renewal continually in the areas important in your life.
Many successful people have established patterns in order to revitalize themselves and promote learning. These include…
- Setting aside a regular time to read and study
- Regularly scheduled meetings for the purpose of sharing knowledge
- Meditating and allowing freshly acquired knowledge to simmer
Making learning a habit will insure that you remain steady.
And, as a manager, leader or coach, the habit of learning will insure that your team can maximize its abilities and talents to put the absolute most points on the board in every game.
And…when you invariably do fall off the track…it will be knowledge that gets you back to the right place.
Think about it.