Success Pie Slices

"Success is not like a pie where if one person gets a slice there is less for everyone else. The miracle of the universe is that it is possible for one person’s success to inspire more success, and then more, creating a cascade that enlarges the pie for everyone."
— London broadsheet The Times columnist, Matthew Syed.

Whilst not quite a Smithian economist, I do subscribe to the 'classical' view that focus on 'inequality' is a damaging misconception. A misguiding cart-before-horse switch. Where's the rising tide to lift all boats? 'Trickle-down' does have its 'per capita' type issues. Yet always better to aim for dynamic conditions than merely expanding your dole from bread alone, as by the time there's wine added too collapse is close.

So yes, the size of the slice becomes the distraction. Rather than overall pie the true guide.

In selling, I have seen this distinction ignored. Strangling salesteams. Silos emerge, and entrench.

Perhaps the most telling trait is when the heat of the scale of competition inside the team is sensed to the fore. When the real fight is with those outside.

That can be tough to shake.

I remember well from twenty-five years back doing what you see on video clips today as 'build a player' mode.

How would our 'perfect' rep look? What would they know? Where would they strike? How do they think?

I made it my job to take what was the winning way from any and every individual seller, and get that to all.

Even then, with lipsmacking results, I was amazed at the salespeople who failed to engage with the drive.

I still believe that at the heart of this is process. A word and construct widely misunderstood throughout Sales. Make identifying, refining and repeating what makes you win the core underpinning your work, and you shall prevail.

Part of this certainly being the approach to 'pie'. One miracle of our sales universe is how success can also cascade. Inspiration spreads. One person's numbers do not have to take from another's. How does such theme permeate your endeavour?