Everyone will say they want to get rid of their problems – yet most go on to spend more time perfecting them! Whether it be a lost order, a sizeable customer complaint, new industry regulations pending, a personality clash, many seem unable or unwilling to move away from what is causing them angst. They think that the way to solve a problem is to think more about it! Round and round they go. Perfecting their problem. Nurturing it. Feeding it. Watering it. Wow – how did it get this big?

If this rings any bells, then take note – there’s a simple yet brilliant technique below to help you solve your sales and business problems quickly and effectively. Let me demonstrate…

Think of a problem you have in the workplace. For this example choose a small problem, that’s maybe been niggling away for a while (you can easily solve your big stuff later once you’re familiar with the technique!)

Find yourself somewhere where you won’t be disturbed for a few minutes.

Firstly, let’s explore your problem. Ask yourself the following questions. Answer them in your head. Give yourself just a few seconds (7 – 10 seconds) on each question – your answers should be a gut reaction. Be honest with your answers too. If it helps, have someone read the questions to you.

Exercise – stage 1

Here are the questions

1. What is your problem?
2. Why is it a problem?
3. Why do you have this problem?
4. What caused it?
5. What are your limitations in solving it?
6. Who’s to blame?
7. Why haven’t you solved it yet?

When you’ve answered these seven questions ensure you have a quick change of scenery for a few seconds before the second stage of the exercise. Walk around the room, jump up and down, talk for a few seconds about something completely different, whatever you need to do to wipe the previous answers away.

Exercise – Stage 2

Now stage 2. Using the same problem, answer the second set of questions below. Again, answer them in your head and allocate about 7 – 10 seconds each. Honesty and gut reactions again too please.

Here we go…

1. What do you want?
2. How do you want it to be?
3. What do you need to get it?
4. What resources do you already have that will help you get this outcome?
5. Where are you with regards to achieving it?
6. What’s the next step you can take towards getting your outcome?
7. When will you take this step?

Your thoughts?

Notice how you felt at the end of the first set of questions – and at the end of the second set. I’d wager a bet that after the initial set of questions you remained deeply entrenched in the problem, feeling pretty depressed about the whole thing – and crucially were no nearer to a solution. I’d also predict that after the second set of questions you were feeling much more positive about the situation and had some good ideas already about how to solve your problem.

So…thinking back to the problems you have…where have you been shining your torch?

On the problems? Or the solutions? From now on you know which set of questions from above you need to use to get you the solutions you seek and get you on your way to your sales success.

It’s all about the psychology.

Until next time.

Leigh