We don’t really hear a lot about how entrepreneurs maintain a positive attitude in the face of adversity — and yet we all do have to face difficult situations often in business.
In starting up a second business I have to remind myself about how I managed through the challenges of setting up my first business, Pola Cosmetics, a direct selling business that took me on the road (not actually knocking on doors but certainly doing home sales presentation for many years as I built an extensive sales team across Australia and New Zealand).
At the very start of that business I remember making many, many calls to introduce what was a high quality, but unknown range of products to potential clients. I remember clearly how demoralising it was to hear the word “no”; that was until I put some tools in place for dealing with the “nos”!
I think that is the key to maintaining a positive approach — having tools to assist.
My tool kit for remaining positive in the face of challenges included and still includes:
- A total commitment to a successful outcome, no matter how difficult the journey and how steep the learning curve.
- This commitment is on the basis of course that I have total belief in what I am doing.
- Spending time outside business with can do /positive people. One of the most difficult aspects of my first business was in listening to my sales consultants reasons / excuses for not making sales and needing to constantly, powerfully re-motivate them and re-energise myself.
- Treating the word “no” as an opportunity to find out more and perhaps re-direct or refresh the offer direction of the business.
- Having a mentor or mentors to speak openly and candidly with. While the buck does stop with the leader/owner, it is really important to have someone to discuss those issues with and have the benefit of sound advice and reassurance. For me, a mentor needs to be someone who has achieved success and really understands the journey.
- Keeping physically fit – a daily exercise routine has probably been my single most important tool, as I have found that if I feel fit I have a great base from which to solve problems.
- A sense of humour. There were many, many amusing things that happened in a direct selling company. One story which I still laugh about is the story of the really committed sales consultant who arrived at the customer’s house to find she had locked herself out. This particular and really successful sales person was not to be deterred – she offered to crawl through a very small bathroom window to unlock the house from the inside — there was only one problem – the window was so small she had to take her clothes off to fit through. She did and consequently made a very good sale that day! As you can imagine this saleswoman acquired legend status in the company.
- Listening to and reading about the incredible challenges that others deal with in life and business – there is nothing like a little perspective to get things in perspective.
- Worrying about the things one can change not the things one can’t change.
- Relaxing with friends, walking on the beach, listening to music – anything that takes us away from the immediacy of the problem so that we can think more clearly about the issues.
- My very newest relaxation/problem-solving tool is walking my friend’s dog. This takes away all my thoughts about problems and returns me to the simple joys of life.
- Making decisions, even if they are not always the right ones, can always be changed, but indecision is a real energy sapper.
- Action is empowering, even if the action may not be the perfect response to a situation –somehow for me keeping on moving keeps my energy levels high and high energy levels are engaging and persuasive.
I am sure everyone has different tools they use to keep focussed and remain positive, the important thing is to have a tool kit and bring out the right tools for the right situation, eg. humour may not always work, but over time you will find that by consciously thinking about a tool kit, you will acquire the appropriate tools for the appropriate situation.
Marcia Griffin’s latest book, High Heeled Success (pictured left), is a frank account of building a business from a solitary sales person to a multi-million dollar business with 4,700 sales consultants around Australia and New Zealand. Contact Marcia to purchase. Marcia’s latest venture is skin care company griffin+row.
