Warren Is A Tough Man!

Warren the client was a tough man. I was going on my first sales call as Regional Director with one of my sales reps. We were meeting with Warren, at a division of one of the world's largest healthcare companies. According to Karen who had met with him several times, Warren was not a nice person. A real mean S.O.B. From what I was told, we were two diametrically opposed forces; Good and Evil (Karen and I were the good ones of course).

I had just gotten back from a week’s meditation retreat and was in a very balanced and peaceful space. You can call it relaxed, I would call it calm, present and happy, very content with being where ever I was. I wanted success of course, but was not worried and afraid about not being successful (which is why I went away on the retreat). I was very aware that I was a Regional Manager who was responsible to help my people sell, but not feeling as pressured by it or more importantly, as defined by it. Nor was I as fearful of Warren.

What happened at our meeting was quite remarkable. Karen and I sat in front of Warren’s big macho desk. Karen introduced me and I just began to talk to Warren about him, his position, what was important to him, what he wanted to have happen, what he wanted to avoid, etc.

Then suddenly, Warren let down his guard and his defenses, and was the nicest, most open person. It was his Warren the Nice Man. It was as if his desk disappeared. He actually came out from behind his desk to sit with me and Karen. Why? Because he was responding to my manner, how I was feeling vs. the words, and he felt safe. It was an incredible meeting and we got the deal 30 days later.

So what is the moral of the story? People can feel where you are coming from. It you are coming from a place of safety, generosity, wholeness, curiosity and kindness, people will feel that. And respond positively!