As I navigate the tumultuous journey of entrepreneurship, building my business from the ground up, I keep getting flashbacks of lessons I learned early in my professional career. It's astonishing how these lessons, once tucked away in the nooks and crannies of my memory, are now resurfacing with newfound relevance. Today, I want to share one of those nuggets of wisdom, hoping it sheds light on whatever challenges you may be facing.
One of my previous bosses was nothing short of a visionary. He had an uncanny ability to see the big picture, knowing exactly what he wanted for his product and department, and what we would have to do to get there. He would often stop by my desk to bounce some ideas off me or seek my impressions or assessments on his latest projects. At the time, these interactions were nerve-wracking (Ã la Robert California, for my Office fans), but looking back, I realize how invaluable they were.
I can't recall the exact details of what we were working on, but I do remember this one lesson that stuck with me. My team had conceived a bold idea, and we needed buy-in from various teams and stakeholders. There was one team, in particular, that we knew would be a tough sell. Undeterred, I scheduled the meeting, ensuring all key stakeholders were invited, and we braced ourselves for the big day. The anticipation was palpable, and the tension mounted as we prepared for a high-stakes showdown.
The day of the meeting arrived. We dialed into the conference line, and ensured all necessary parties were present. I set the scene, providing background information and subtly hinting at our proposed solution without being too overt. Then, I handed it over to my boss and he launched into his pitch, "This is what we should do, and here's why I think it will benefit us all."
We held our breath, waiting for the inevitable pushback. To our astonishment, the team lead simply replied, "Yep, sounds good to me." My boss wrapped up, "So, we're all in agreement? Wonderful. Have a great day, everyone." And then the call ended with a chorus of polite goodbyes and little beeps of people disconnecting.
I was stunned. What just happened? This was supposed to be a contentious call filled with debates and objections. What did I miss?
Later that day, when my boss stopped by my desk, I couldn't help but ask how the heck he had managed to pull that off. He looked at me and said something that only now, through my own experiences, do I truly understand. "Soof, the meeting never happens in the meeting," he said. It was his Mr. Miyagi way of saying, "the play never happens on stage." When you watch a play, you don't see the rehearsals, the lighting and sound checks, the set design, or the voice lessons. You see the polished performance as if it unfolds for the first time before your eyes.
Similarly, in business, the real work doesn't happen in the meeting, or in other words, above the surface. It happens through relationship building and the creation and continued maintenance of your personal brand. My boss had used the first half of the week to build rapport with the team lead through a series of conversations where he listened to her concerns and addressed them. He assured her that our solution would benefit her team as well, and provided a plan to mitigate any risks she highlighted. These pre-meeting efforts laid the groundwork for what seemed like an effortless agreement.
This lesson, buried deep in my memory, has resurfaced as I navigate the challenges of my entrepreneurial journey. It’s a powerful reminder that the groundwork we lay behind the scenes often determines the success of our public endeavors. I actually just shared another lesson I learned from him during my session at SoCal Dreamin', a local Salesforce Community conference. I'll be sharing more on this in a webinar next month (date and time TBD), sign up if you'd like to hear more!
If you find yourself overwhelmed with the complexities of managing your CRM or struggling to build the necessary rapport and strategy behind the scenes, that's where Soof CRM comes in. I specialize in helping businesses like yours navigate these challenges with ease. Let me handle the behind-the-scenes work so you can shine on stage. Schedule a free consultation today to learn how I can help you maximize your CRM potential.
Now, I’d love to hear from you. Have you experienced a moment where you thought play happened on stage, but discovered that the real work happened behind the scenes? What lessons from your past have become unexpectedly relevant in your current journey? Share your stories in the comments below, or send me an email to be featured in my next blog post, and let’s learn from each other’s experiences.
Thank you for reading, and I look forward to your insights!
Comments