Paul Lanigan

This article delves into the psychological patterns that often ensnare sales professionals within the Drama Triangle, influencing their interactions with prospects and superiors. It highlights how easy it is to view challenges as personal attacks, adopting roles of Persecutor, Victim, or seeking a Rescuer in professional settings. By shifting perspectives towards the Winner's Triangle—embodying Assertiveness, Caring, and Vulnerability—sales professionals can transform their approach from mere transactions to meaningful interactions and resilience. This transformation not only enhances sales success but fosters genuine connections and personal growth, encouraging a move from defensive stances to embracing challenges as opportunities for improvement and assertive communication.

Inside salespeople who find themselves behind quota may assign their performance problems to any number of factors beyond their control: the economy, the competition, the weather. But the reality is that the single most common reason for this problem lies in something they do control: their choice to use, or not to use, a cookbook.

What happens when Joshua Bell, one of the world's finest musicians goes incognito in a busy subway in Washington's business district? What happens when a musician who can command $1,000 per minute, takes his priceless Stradivari, dons a baseball cap, occupies a corner in a busy Washington subway, and puts on a virtuoso performance for people who would normally think nothing of paying $150 a ticket to see him perform in a tuxedo.

"How and when you discuss money during your sales process has a greater impact on selling success than your price"