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56: For B2B sales leaders: The question that works really well to start ad hoc coaching moments · Cyber Go-To-Market Talk: The Cybersecurity Podcast About Cyber Sales, Marketing & Revenue Growth

• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine one of your team walks into your office or calls you unexpectedly.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: You're short on time and apprehensive about why they're calling.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: Here's a simple question from Michael Bunga Stanier to get to the heart of the matter.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Bite-Size Sales Podcast, where we believe that you don't need to take time out of the field or off the phone stuck in a classroom to get great sales training, and that taking bite-sized steps each day to get better at your craft is the best way to improve your results.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: I am your host, Andrew Monahan, and I'm using my 20 plus years in B2B sales to bring you simple, actionable ideas that you can use every day to help you get better.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_00: This episode is sponsored by Sales Bluebird.
• 1:22
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• 1:30
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• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: Sign up right now at salesbluebird.com.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to episode 56 of the podcast.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: Now this one at first glance seems to be for the sales leaders, but I bet you it's something that all of us could use in many different situations.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: And it's gonna seem really simple, and it is really simple.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: But it's a quick and polite way to get someone to get to the point that they're thinking about, get to the most important topic that's top of mind for them at that moment.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: And the question to ask someone if they come to interrupt you or they or they they take up some of your time is to say what's on your mind.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, that's that's pretty simple.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: In fact, it's it's really simple and not that difficult to start taking action on.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: But what's interesting for me is why this question is so useful.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: What is it about this question that actually means that it's so effective?
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, Michael Bungay Stanier has written a great book, The Coaching Habit, and he he's got many, he's got uh many questions in there, and this is one of his questions that he talks about.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: So let me uh read directly from the book.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: What's on your mind is the Facebook question, or at least it was, and then it wasn't for a while as it was removed as the prompt, and then soon after it was the question again.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: I'm guessing Mark Zuckerberg and his team figured out that this question was the best they had.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: So it's a question that's used by tens of millions of people every day to cue reflection and sharing.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: When we asked Lindsay, our box of crayons researcher to dig into the science behind why the question works so well, she directed us to one of the fundamental truths that neuroscience has laid bare.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_00: We are what we give our attention to.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: If we're mindful about our focus, so much the better.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: But if we're unwittingly distracted or preoccupied, we pay a price.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: A 2010 study started by making the point that any time we have something on our mind, it's literally using up energy.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: Even though it accounts for only two percent of your body weight, your brain uses about 20% of your energy.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: But more than that, what you're holding in your mind will unconsciously influence what you can notice and focus on.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: When you're thinking of buying a red Mazda, you suddenly start noticing all the red Mazdas on the road.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: Whatever you're thinking about can also influence the choices you make.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: So you might not, in fact, make the optimal choice.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: Asking this question works as a little pressure release valve and helps make explicit something that might be unduly influencing the way you work.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_00: The question releases the challenge from where it may well be rattling around in a slightly unformed and unclear way that is unbeknownst to you, narrating the way you're seeing the world.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_00: And that's read directly from Michael Bunge Steinier's book, The The Coaching Habit.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, I I like this because you know, at first glance, there's lots of ways to say to someone, you know, get to the point, right?
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: But some people say, hey, what's up or what's going on, something like that.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: But something about the wording on this to say what's on your mind gets, you know, subconsciously get someone to think a little bit deeper, reflect a little bit deeper, and be ready to have a slightly deeper conversation.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's why when we're thinking about coaching and working with our teams, this is a really effective question and why he's latched onto this.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I I wish uh I I'd had that in in some of the work situations I've been in over the years or used it more often, let's say.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you imagine in an office or even an open plan environment, the the interruptions, the the walk-ups are just kill your time, right?
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: And some people you're able to kind of push off pretty quickly, but some you want to show them you're open to listening, but you want to get them to get to the point very quickly.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_00: And this what's on your mind question is a great way to do that.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_00: So the action from this is you know, this is so simple, right?
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: But uh start using this more often in your life, both personal at home or with friends, and also at work.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: And by practicing it, it's gonna be part of your vocabulary very easily.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_00: And you're effectively gonna pull it out when you need to pull it out and use it to help your team.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: If you like this episode, the single most useful thing you could do to support this podcast is share it with your sales network.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_00: It'll probably take you less than 20 seconds.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: All you need to do is click the share icon in your app right now and share it wide and far.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: It will mean the world to me and it could make a difference to those you share it with.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: Also, I need your suggestions, please.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: If you have a topic you want me to cover or just want to get in touch, simply email me at upside at unstoppable.do.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: That's upside at unstoppable.do.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: And now to wrap up, training without implementation is just entertainment.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: And pretty poor entertainment when I deliver it.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: So make sure you take action on what you learn today and keep getting it better and better each and every day.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_00: Also, this world does not need more sales BS.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: So please don't create any more.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_00: Be great at the fundamentals, be honest, be real, be yourself, just do not BS.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: And finally, I'm signing off as the great Joe Sexton would by saying gone to sell.