Can You Blow Up Your Glass Ceiling?
Every person has a “glass ceiling.” I have one, you have one… everyone does. Glass ceiling, refers to your limiting factors, which often is your own thinking. I love football, more specifically Ohio State University football (OSU is my alma mater). I often here coaches, analysts and sportscasters talking about how players and teams need to raise the bar. In their context “the bar” refers to thinking bigger, thinking about achieving, accomplishing or striving for “more”; whatever the more is.
We know what our capability is based on what we’ve been able to achieve successfully and not achieve unsuccessfully. It’s been my experience working with canvassers, both in my own home improvement company and in those I personally coach, that most canvassers have greater ability, greater knowledge and talent then they’re achieving. In virtually every situation the thing that holds those canvassers back is their own “self-limiting” beliefs. Not beliefs in what they can accomplish, but what they “think” they can’t … and the key word there is, think.
Often the thing that holds canvassers back from achieving true success, whether career success, financial, social, or mental success is fear; more specifically fear of failing. As you read this right now, as a canvasser, analyze yourself. What are your personal traits? Most canvassers I know are Type “A” personalities; motivated, self-assured and self-confident. If there’s one thing that can bruise your ego it’s failure, especially in front of your peers and bosses.
Talk to the canvassers in your company that you identify as being the “great” ones; the canvassers who, in your opinion, just can’t miss getting leads, no matter what the obstacle. Ask them if they ever have fears when they’re out canvassing? If they’re honest with you they’ll admit they do have them. It’s human nature to have them because in canvassing we deal with a lot of rejection; so it comes with the territory. Understand it and deal with it.
So how do you break through your glass ceiling? How can you get past your self-limiting beliefs and raise the bar to your own canvassing potential?
First, commit to the program your company teaches you. If there are canvassers within your company who are being successful using the same program you are then the problem’s not the system, it’s you. Stop performing as yourself and start performing as the successful ones. In any company 20% of the work force will produce 80% of the results and often it’s the 10%er’s who produce the majority of the results. Study what the successful canvassers do. Talk to them, ask them questions, and find out how they get ready to canvass (mentally & physically), emulate and implement what they do. Above all else, communicate your challenges to your canvass manager, talk openly with others on your team and ask for help.
Where Is Your Career Going? Up or Out?
It’s up to you if you’re part of the 80% producing 20% of the leads and always operating with “one foot out the door” looking for greener pastures at another “job”; or you can commit yourself to canvassing as a career and become part of the 20% producing 80% of the results.
The definition of insanity is, “Continuing to do the same things, yet expect different results.” If you truly want different, better results than you’re experiencing right now then you need to change your habits. Even those canvassers you view as being good or great know they have room for improvement and are continually looking for the little things that’ll make them better.
You must operate outside your comfort zone and strive for more. You have plenty of resources available to you, but they have no value unless you use them. I am one of those resources and I can tell you you’re not utilizing my materials as much as you should. Don’t worry though, I have more coming and I’ll tell you about that in just a moment.
I want to leave you this month with a quote, “Some of us will do our jobs well and some will not, but we will all be judged by only one thing – the result.” — Vince Lombardi
Another FREE Canvassing Resource for You
I’ve talked about it in past articles; I’ve had a lot of request for it and now it’s time. I’ve committed myself to helping canvassers and companies canvassing for leads to get better at canvassing. Wednesday, February 9, 2011 (next Wednesday) I’ll be holding my first Teleseminar. For the time being it’ll be free and open to any canvasser, canvass manager, marketing manager or owner who’s committed to breaking through their glass ceilings. This will be the first in a series of 2 monthly Teleseminars I’ll be conducting. As you’ve come to learn I publish 2 blog articles each month. The first publishes on the first Tuesday of each month and is about “The Art of Canvassing” and addresses an aspect of canvassing. The second article publishes on the 3rd Tuesday of each month and addresses “The Art of Managing Canvassing.”
My Teleseminar series will be on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month. The first Teleseminar is titled, “Ask the Expert” where I and an occasional guest, will discuss canvassing from all aspects including canvassers, managers, marketing managers, phone room people, sales, owners, legalities, anywhere canvassing can and will have an impact on the company. This call will be 80% content and we’ll have an open question and answer at the end of the call.
The 2nd Teleseminar (on the 4th Wednesday each month) is titled, “Jump Start to Canvassing” and will be primarily open Q&A for anyone involved in canvassing from any industries. You’ll be able to have your questions answered by me or your peers. You’ll have the opportunity to hear and learn from the successes and challenges others around the country are having.
If you’re already receiving email notifications from me you’ll be receiving a video email later this week with more details about next week’s first Teleseminar, “Ask the Expert.” On next week’s call I’ll reveal the one question you can ask homeowners that will significantly increase your lead production. It’s the question that 98% of canvassers never ask, and should! I’ll also discuss how you can motivate yourself and stay motivated every day.
The Teleseminar is FREE, but you will need to register for the call in order to receive access information.
If you’re not already receiving email notifications from me and would like attend next week’s FREE Teleseminar you can go right now to www.canvassking.com/teleseminar to register. You must provide your full contact information to receive the access information to the Teleseminar. The call will be held live. This will be a great resource for you to attend even if you don’t participate. I know when I attend live seminars I often pick up a lot of great information outside the conference room in the hallways talking with others. You can gain the same attending and just being a fly on the wall. I look forward to you being on next week’s Teleseminar.