“Winning starts here” may be a Nike slogan, but it has broad implications for anyone running a business.
In sports, winning doesn't merely occur at the finish line: it starts in early mornings at the gym, in choosing spinach over ice cream and in pushing ourselves to do another rep when we’re sure we can’t. In business, when we define the win as one outcome -- a sale, an innovation, or reaching a quarterly goal, for example -- our definition is too narrow. It creates a culture where we “fail” more than we succeed. Creating an environment where you and your team can win every day allows you to build on previous successes and improve morale.
There are 260 workdays a year. Consider a car salesperson who sells four or five cars a month. At 48 sales a year, she “fails” the other 212 days. Similarly, a realtor may sell two houses a month, or 24 in a year, which means he “fails” more than 90 percent of the time.
This is overwhelming for even the most dedicated person. We must create a culture where we can celebrate every day. We must redefine the win.
Related: Lessons on Leadership Inspired by ‘American Sniper’
Instead of focusing on the sale, consider all the behaviors (such as having an engaging conversation with a potential prospect, taking an opportunity to present the company’s brand, or making an initial contact with a future prospect) that lead to that victory. Since they lead to the sale, they are part of the win.
It’s not just salespeople who benefit from this culture. Every department should consider the ways they add value to the organization.
Take the 30-day challenge:
- Make a list of 100 activities or accomplishments that can be defined as a win every day.
- Print up a calendar and, for 30 days, write at least one thing from the list in each of the calendar days.
- Create a Win Every Day huddle plan where you talk about how you “won” the day before. Share your successes.
- See what happens to your team’s success in the 30 days.
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