SELLING WITH Kahle By Dave Kahle
The Ultimate Business Survival Skill e are living in incredibly turbulent times. The wellspring of this uncertainty lies in one of the unique characteristics of the times in which we live—rapid change. The pace of change in our economy, in our culture, in our institutions, and in our industries and businesses is unprecedented in human history. There has never been a time in which the world around us has changed as rapidly as it does today. Driving this unprecedented pace of change is the expansion in the amount of information we create. Consider this: In 1900, the total amount of knowledge available to mankind was doubling about every 500 years. By 2000, it was doubling about every two years. Today, according to some, the rate of change is doubling every 30 days! That incredibly rapid pace of new knowledge is driving the forces of change at an unprecedented rate and is continuing to accelerate. The effect of that snowballing rate of change on our businesses and our jobs can be cataclysmic. It’s almost as if a malevolent spirit were stalking our economy, rendering all the wisdom of the past useless, and casting a spell of confusion and uncertainty over the land. The insightful person will accept that rapid change is now a defining characteristic of our economy and plan to deal with it effectively on an on-going basis. Our ability to change ourselves and our organizations at least as rapidly as the world is changing around us will be single greatest challenge of our professional careers. Instead of thinking we should just persevere until it’s behind us, we should prepare for rapid change to be a way of life. What’s the best way to go forward in the light of this rapid change? What mindsets, disciplines and skills do we need to survive and prosper in turbulent times?
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The solution
I believe there is one core skill which will define the most successful individuals and organizations. It’s the ability and propensity to engage in purposeful, self-directed learning. The only sustainable effective response to a rapidly changing world is cultivating the ability to positively transform ourselves and our organizations. That’s the function of purposeful, self-directed learning. Here are six disciplines for the purposeful learner:
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Set aside dedicated time for learning Understand that your future is dependent on your ability to learn and grow at least as rapidly as the world is changing around you. That isn’t going to happen haphazardly. There was a slower, less stressful time when you could count on that. Today, you must learn better than ever. Nothing worthwhile is learned without intentionality, purpose and dedication. If, for example, you decided to be a golf professional, you’d sign up for lessons with the best coach you could afford, and spend hours everyday practicing and studying the game. So too with any competency. If you’re are going to improve yourself and perhaps your organization, you must dedicate time to the task. I recommend a one-hour block of time every week, dedicated specifically and exclusively to learning, as a starting point. Expose yourself to differing ideas One of the surest ways to plateau is to limit your input to only those ideas you agree with, and the people who agree with you. Stretch outside of the box and encounter those ideas and people who have a different point of view. It is amazing what a bit of exposure to the other guy’s point of view will do to broaden your horizons and impact your attitude. If your attitudes and ideas are solid and well-supported they will withstand the assault of opposing ideas. And your exposure to differing ideas will provide you with wisdom, empathy and a self-confidence that will serve you well in the long run.
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Ask questions A well-phrased question is one of mankind’s greatest thinking tools. A good question is a salesperson’s most powerful sales tool. When we ask a question, the other person thinks of the answers. That means that we can influence, shape and stimulate thought processes in the other person. And that is just as true for ourselves. When we ask ourselves a good question, it stimulates our thinking. If you want to find better ways of doing things, if you want to improve your competency and skills, continually ask yourself questions. Write them down, seek the answers, and write those down as well. Building-Products.com
