By Richard Fenton & Andrea WaltzRISMEDIA, Nov. 3, 2007-Everyone knows the importance of setting goals. The problem is in the type of goals people set.
Many salespeople operate with what are commonly called, “Yes-Goals”… number-specific goals for the amount of times prospects say, “yes.” This approach-while it’s the one we’ve all been taught to use and follow – is significantly flawed for one main reason. Once we achieve the objective, we tend to divert our attention to other tasks or reward ourselves for our success. And how do we reward ourselves; by slowing down, taking a day off, playing golf, or catching up on paperwork.
There is a better approach that can dramatically increase the performance of anyone who employs it; that approach is to:
Stop setting Yes-Goals and start setting No-Goals
In other words, stop setting goals for the number of sales you intend to close or dollars you want to generate, and start setting goals for the specific number of prospects who say, “no” to you. Operate with a failure quota rather than a success quota. Admittedly, the process of setting NO-Goals requires a radical change in thinking. While the concept can be difficult to embrace initially, the results can be immediate and dramatic.
The Inherent Pitfall with Performance Quotas
You need only to look up the word “quota” in the dictionary to see the problem. “Quota” is defined as “a proportional share” which makes sense; everyone should be responsible for his or her proportional share. However, the definition goes on to say, “the highest number or proportion.”
Therein lies the problem. Most people treat their quota as a shut-down mechanism – the ceiling of their performance – rather than the floor it is intended to be. That’s the insidious thing about quotas; they often end up limiting sales rather than propelling sales upward.
So how does setting NO-Goals make a difference?
The first thing you should do is take advantage of momentum. After all, when you’re hot, you’re hot! And the last thing you should do in the midst of a hot streak is slow down, or even worse, stop! Having set clearly established NO-Goals would have helped avoid this.
The Great Irony of Business and Life
This points to one of the great ironies in business (and life); having too great of an emphasis on achieving success can lead to failure, while placing a greater emphasis on increasing your failure can often lead to massive success! Success can often become our greatest enemy, for with success comes complacency. As Ben Franklin said, “Success has ruined many a man!”
Is this to suggest that salespeople should ditch their success quotas entirely? Perhaps. In fact, there are many top performers who never set traditional “yes” goals, opting instead to focus solely on the behaviors needed to generate results. They understand that the act of setting Yes-Goals and/or quotas of any kind may – consciously or unconsciously – could become a self-fulfilling prophecy, placing artificial limits on their income and their performance.
Face it: Few managers plan to shift from years of traditional quota-setting in favor of a behavior-based process like NO-Goals. So, when you get your next quota handed to you, look at it … smile … and set it aside in favor of aggressive NO-Goals for the number of times you plan to fail. When you shift your focus to achieving your NO-Goals, the results – the yeses – will come. They always do!
About the Authors:
Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz are founders of Courage Crafters, Inc., a company dedicated to helping organizations achieve breakthrough performance. Authors of, “Go for No! Yes is the Destination, NO is How You Get There,” Richard and Andrea conduct workshops and keynote presentations that encourage participants to overcome self-imposed limitations and achieve their full potential by intentionally increasing their failure rate. Clients include Ameriprise, Macy’s, and High Performers International.
For more information, visit www.Goforno.com or call 800-290-5028.
