Believing in What You Sell Create a sense of purpose throughout your company by building a belief system and sticking to it religiously.

This month we'll be taking a look at how two CEOs who sell,Jim Amos, CEO of Mail Boxes Etc., and Peter Bell, CEO andco-founder of StorageNetworks, build a sense of mission with theirprospects, customers and key team members. What you're about toread may challenge some of your long-lived convictions about salesand leadership.

Passion and Believing in WhatYou Sell
Jim Amos is big on believing in not only his abilities, but also inthe value his company delivers and the abilities of his team.Here's some of what Jim had to share about passion andbelief:

"Knowledge-based workers own the knowledge we don't.They may obtain information from our systems, but they individuallyown the knowledge. People run the systems-the systemsdon't run the people. Knowledge-based workers must bepassionate about their purpose, beliefs and mission; they must haveand then apply their discretionary energy with all of that inmind.

"My job is simply to keep the dream in front ofthem-to keep the Mail Boxes Etc. dream in the forefront oftheir minds at all times. But it doesn't stop there. The salesprocess is about constant communication. My job is to be popularand 'well known'-someone who constantly shares thedream with customers, with board members, with employees and withfranchise owners.

"Basically, I believe that courage is a work ethic. Thatmeans that I must respect my people and allow them to retain theirown dignity. I lead not with an anvil, but withbenchmarks."

Sharing the dream (or, if you prefer, the vision) is, of course,just as important when interacting with our own sales team membersas it is when you're meeting with a CEO from anotherorganization. To share the dream, you must, as Jim notes, embody itwherever you go.and broadcast it to every"customer" you meet, whether that customer is internal orexternal. Jim is a great role model for that kind of passionatecommitment to his company's dream-its mission.

Jim also told me: "My conviction is that unshakable trust,solid core personal values, integrity and honesty pave the way to asuccessful relationship in all business and personalendeavors."

I can personally attest that Jim lives up to that high standard.I can also attest that he tries not to let anything buildunnecessary obstacles between himself and those he connects with."When I make a mistake," Jim told me, "I show thehumor of it; I laugh at myself and allow others to laugh at me,too. And then I move on. Relationships are built in the trenches;that's where the real tests come. Being truthful in how youreact to a situation-that's what matters most."

The Power of PurposefulBelief
To learn how to put the power of purposeful belief to work inaccomplishing your own mission, you'll need to do what Jim hasdone and continues to do on a daily basis. You'll need to getin touch with what gives you that power in the first place:you!

In the end, you are your own best ally-or your mostformidable competitor-when it comes to harnessing a sense ofmission and purpose. This intangible quality, essential tosuccessful interactions with top "C"-leveldecision-makers and approvers, either arouses your own opinions,beliefs and convictions.or doesn't!

Let's take a quick look now at what Jim emphasized when Iasked him about the mission of sales leadership: opinions, beliefsand convictions. (Note: I'm basing what follows on mydiscussions with Jim and also on my knowledge of how CEOs tend tooperate.)

• Opinions fall short of having the need for positiveknowledge. An opinion is a combination of facts and ideas thatcan be true, or are likely to be proven true.but that may notbe. (Many opinions, of course, share a fuzzy border with thosedisempowering d's, delusion and denial.) It is possible to haveone or more opinions on the same topic. It's also acceptable inthe business world of a CEO to change an opinion when it becomesnecessary (or politically wise) to do so. There are occasions whenCEOs have no opinion whatsoever on an important business topic, butthey're quite rare!
• Beliefs are based on specific past experiences,generalizations or conjecture. Once a belief is obtained,it's generally held to be true and is rarely challenged orchanged. Sometimes, we are tempted to defend our beliefs to thebitter end, even when there may be no factual basis for thebelief.
• Convictions are certainties of the mind in either of the twoprevious categories, that is, fully settled opinions or assuredbeliefs. Once established, convictions defy alteration. Inextreme situations, convictions can cause serious financial, socialand/or physical setbacks. On the other hand, convictions can alsobe responsible for total success in every aspect of business andlife.

The Constructive Belief Systems of CEOs

During my interview with Peter Bell, the co-founder and CEO ofStorageNetworks, he shared with me his very strong belief about hisinvolvement in the sales process:

"I believe strongly that I must routinely 'disrupt'the sales process--from the standpoint of shortening the salescycle--by doing a 'title-to-title' call or in-personmeeting. In all these cases, though, I will still hold my salesteam responsible for working the sales process."

Peter believes that involving himself in the sales process has aclear benefit: shortening the amount of time it takes to turn asuspect into a customer. He has amassed so much evidence for thisbelief, in fact, that it has taken on the form of a conviction.

Could Peter's belief be changed? Perhaps, but I doubt it.Why? Because the emphasis he put on the word "strongly"gave me the sense that he had strongly invested himself in this wayof looking at the world, and that employing this vantage point hadpaid off for him handsomely. Peter has developed a constructivebelief system about involving himself in the sales process.

Does that belief, that sense of conviction in what his companyhas to offer, pay off? Consider the following story.

"For two hours," Peter told me, "a C-levelprospect spoke of nothing but what our competition could do for hiscompany. I thanked him for his time and hospitality. I gave thedeal a 50/50 chance. Two days later he called me and gave us thebusiness."

Take Control of Your OwnBeliefs and Convictions
It's virtually impossible to understate the importance ofbeliefs when it comes to harnessing the power of a CEO who sells.Once you take total responsibility for your own empowering beliefsand convictions, you will, by definition, be thinking, acting andselling like a CEO.

Perhaps it's time to examine some of your own beliefs. Hereare some examples of what I call self-limiting "killerbeliefs":

• CEOs would never take time out of their busy day to see me.(After having met with hundreds of CEOs, I can attest--this onedoesn't withstand the test of experience.)
• I have nothing to offer this person.
• I'll never make "salesperson of the year"; myterritory isn't good enough.
• CEOs make me nervous.
• I choke under pressure.
• CEOs are difficult people to talk with.
• My parents ruined me for life! (I think we should all get ridof that one.)

Each of the negative beliefs has a corresponding positivecounterpart. (For instance: "I can add significant value tothe day of the highest-positioned person in anyorganization.") Take a moment now to write positive,empowering beliefs on a separate sheet of paper; make sure tocompose one for each negative belief you feel you may now beharboring.

Change Your Own Beliefs. and Sell Like a CEO on a Mission!
It's not always easy, but beliefs can be changed. It's amatter of applying the right stimuli and taking advice from thetop. Let's start by focusing on the three conditions necessaryfor our mind to change or adopt a new belief or strengthen anexisting one. When we're done, we'll take a look at a listof core empowering beliefs that the most effective CEOs have--thebeliefs that make their sales meetings less like presentations andmore like divinely ordained missions.

What have you got to do to change a belief?

• 1. Gather or create new information. The more supportiveinformation you add, the stronger your belief will become, until iteventually develops into a conviction. Because convictions tend tostick around forever, the ones we embrace have a huge impact on thequality of our lives and the success of our business endeavors. Theright convictions can mean prosperity, optimism and happiness.Latching on to the wrong convictions, on the other hand, canliterally kill you. So focus on the right stuff. (Note: You'vealready taken a huge step in that direction by reading this columnevery month, because you are gathering new, positive, empoweringinformation that will help you begin to change your beliefs aboutselling.)
• 2. Add emotion. Once you gather your new information,you'll need to apply your emotions to the process. The greaterthe emotions, the greater the speed at which the new positivebelief will move toward the level of a conviction--a "way oflife." The greater the emotional experience we connect with abelief, the stronger the belief tends to become. (Example: At theconclusion of my interview with Jim Amos, he gave me a bear hug!Let me tell you what that did for my beliefs and convictions aboutthis man, his mission and purpose. I am now ferociously proud to beone of Jim's allies, and I know I'm not the only one whofeels that way about working with him.)
• 3. Gather social proof. If Siskel and Ebert give a film"two thumbs up," millions of people are likely to attendthat film with the expectation that they will enjoy it--whichcertainly doesn't hurt the odds that they actually will enjoyit. This illustrates the power of social proof as a reinforcer ofbeliefs, positive or negative. So choose the experts you decide to"tune into" carefully. (How's this for an example ofsocial proof: From the moment you drive into the parking lot ofMail Boxes Etc., you can see the recognition that is paid to themanagement and top producers. Covered parking is provided for allkey employees and top producers, with their names and titlesproudly displayed. As soon as you enter the lobby, you can clearlysee all the recognition plaques hanging on a "wall ofhonor." Constructive social proof is everywhere youlook!)

Six Questions

When you want to rid yourself of any beliefs that aren'tserving you well at this point in your life, ask yourself thefollowing six questions. Take 20 minutes or so to write the answersdown. Be sure the answers you write are scrupulously honest.

1. Where did I get this belief?
2. How long ago did I adopt this belief?
3. Have I ever compromised this belief? If so, how many times? Howlong ago? Why?
4. What have been the consequences, if any, of compromising thisbelief?
5. What have been the consequences, if any, of maintaining thisbelief?
6. What would happen to my health, finances, and personal andprofessional life if I eliminated this belief?

Principles for SalesLeadership
Over the past twenty-eight years, I've worked with a good manyCEOs and top- producing salespeople. I challenge you to put theirprinciples of sales leadership to work during the next situation inyour professional life that requires positive change.

• They're accountable. They live by a code: "Ifit's to be, it's up to me."
• They're confident. They have a strong belief andfaith in themselves, and they constantly reinforce thatbelief.
• They want to find out more. They're in constantsearch mode; they want to find ways to improve themselves, developtheir strengths and understand their weaknesses.
• They're generous. They're always trying to findways to help others grow and develop.
• They embrace new situations and actively look for newchallenges. They look at change as an opportunity to benefit byusing each of the above strengths, making them even stronger andmore resilient.

Anthony Parinello is the author of the bestselling book Selling to VITO, the Very Important TopOfficer. For additional information on his speeches, SalesSuccess Kits and newest book, CEOs who Sell, call (800) 777-VITO orvisit www.sellingtovito.com.