More Out Than In
Another close-season in the world of football is almost upon us.
Despite being the shortest ever – only 30 days at most – the transfer rumour mill continues to motor in overdrive.
Maybe even seeing the biggest ever move approaching. On some, if not quite all, levels anyway.
For Messi might be about to quit Barcelona.
The Catalan giants are a team not only in decline, but such a downturn that you sense it might teeter over the infamous cliff-edge at any moment.
An 8-2 humiliation departure from the Champions League in a trophy-less campaign heralds the latest hot-seat occupant who is surely doomed to never see out his two-year contract.
Messi apparently cut-short his own hols to meet up.
No Zoom for Leo.
Only to reveal that he’s;
Less than a handful of ‘elite’ Football clubs on the highest of alert.
Only two seem able to afford such contemplation.
The Arab-moneyed pair of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
And even they may well be baulking at the finances required.
(The world’s greatest (ever?) being “still tied to a €700m release clause”.)
Whether this be super-fuelled player-power posturing for more say in club affairs or really does reveal a desire to move on to forge a new legacy is for the gossip columns and twitterati.
What is of importance to us solution sellers is what such a statement unveils.
You can imagine the opening question. A straight-forward styled, “where you at?”
We ask if of prospects all the time.
A powerful question.
There is actually a continuum of responses.
It might help to frame them in the manner of the Likert Scale.
Let’s take the simplest. The 5 rating scale. Options ‘typically include’;
strongly disagree – disagree – neutral – agree – strongly agree
In Messi’s case, he could’ve said he’s definitely leaving/staying, or might be so.
Then there’s the fencesit of the 50/50.
Knowing about such a scale aims to make it easier to determine a person’s attitudes, opinions, or perceptions.
Then there’s the framing syntax itself.
The very language of in-or-out is also instructive here.
Perhaps implying a personal connection the ‘project’.
With this or against? On-board or sailing elsewhere? Investing or divesting?
There’s plenty of creative ways to classify those who either wish to bond or bash your plans.
Once you know where someone stands, it pays not take their initial answer at face value. Verify, test and check.
It may also not be a fixed position. Can it change over time? Alter given circumstance? Slide along the scale?
Good or bad.
Even use this live Barca example to help coax the inner feelings from your prospect. He’s ‘more out than in’, where are they?
And if they share similar position, what will it take to move it?