A Session for Interns

Several interns at Kahua asked for the slides from my talk, so I’m sharing them here in case you find the content helpful.

We kicked off the session by exploring five barriers that prevent sales reps from consistently hitting quota.

Sadly, in my 30+ years in sales, I’ve seen these same obstacles repeatedly derail otherwise capable reps.

The good news? Every one of these barriers is self-imposed...meaning with discipline, desire, and focus, each can be broken.

1. Obscurity

It’s the state of being unknown or overlooked. You’re always setting an example - so make it one of initiative, problem-solving, service, and value. Get seen and get known.

2. Lack of Focus

If you chase two rabbits, both will escape. Stop scrolling. Plan your work. Tackle it step by step. Pay attention to the details, measure your progress, and always debrief. (You weren’t thinking about your left earlobe…until just now. All it took was for me to mention it. That’s how quickly you can focus.)

3. Inactivity

Most disappointments stem from not taking enough action. Move, and the way will open. Momentum is mass times velocity - not just speed, but speed with direction. Big difference.

4. No Conversation Flow

A lyric from one of my favorite songs by The Police: “With one breath, with one flow, you will know synchronicity.” Know the beginning, middle, and end of your conversations. Ask thoughtful, open-ended questions - especially about them and their world. Listen with intention. Establish flow, my friends.

5. Failure to Keep Improving

The LinkedIn feed often gets a bad rap, but there are brilliant minds sharing gold - if you’re paying attention. And beyond LinkedIn? Books. Podcasts. YouTube. Meetups. Conferences. Different subjects. Different languages. Different experiences. Never stop learning. Never stop growing.

From there, we covered:

• Five Philosophies to Live By
• How to See the Company as an Aircraft
• The Need to Zoom Out and Then Zoom In
• How to Leverage Metcalfe’s Law
• Wisdom from the Network

- The five philosophies come from Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, the U.S. Navy SEALs, Steve Prefontaine, and a Zen proverb.

- The aircraft illustration and concept come from Don Miller’s book Business Made Simple.

- The life chart that prompts you to zoom out and then zoom in comes from Tim Urban and the Wait But Why team.

- The Metcalfe’s Law image was created by Lewis O’Brien. The law itself underpins the LinkedIn business model of networking.

- “Wisdom from the Network” is really just insights and advice from my network. To prepare for this week’s presentation, I asked my LinkedIn network to share a nugget or two for the interns. Well, they delivered, so I pinned a few of the good ones into the slides.

The interns walked away with valuable insights and lessons. Let’s keep learning and leveling up...together.