3 Key Takeaways From “Incognito” That Apply to Sales Coaching
In his attempt to help individuals escape “The Matrix”, Tom Bilyeu, founder of Impact Theory, has a reading list of 25 books which he recommends that everyone read to better understand how they can unlock their potential. I have decided to dedicate myself to reading a book per week for the next 25 weeks, and to review each book anecdotally with application to coaching. Let’s enjoy the journey together!
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If you’re enjoying this blog series and always looking for ways to grow and develop as a leader, consider attending one of EcSell’s sales coaching events in Nashville this April:
Sales Coaching Academy (April 9, 2018)
Sales Coaching Summit (April 10–11, 2018)
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Book # 18: “Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain” by David Eagleman
Nobel Prize winner and writer, Isaac Bashevis Singer, famously wrote this ironic statement: “We must believe in free will, we have no choice.” I now have a stronger appreciation for the truth this quote provides after finishing Incognito. We are just beginning to scratch the surface in understanding brain science and the implication it has on our society, behaviors, and overall well-being.
We all like to believe that we are fully conscious beings and have complete control over our actions, behaviors, and decisions. Modern day science is proving to the world that this is not always the case. In this book Eagleman provides multiple examples of how our brains work. These examples illustrate how many of our decisions are being made on behalf of our unconscious hard wiring. Similar to the disruption Galileo caused when he discovered that earth was not at the center of the universe, brain science will most likely disrupt our modern-day world view of how things work and how we operate.
3 key takeaways from “Incognito” that apply to Sales Coaching
1. Cross the bridge — Each of your sales people is living their own perceived reality. In order to view things from their perspective, it is important for you to cross to their side of the bridge. If you do this consistently it will help your sales people to see things from your perspective as their coach. This practice is important if you want effective communication to occur. A strong relationship between you and your sales people must exist if you want your coaching to be fully understood and appreciated.
2. Pay attention — Neuroscience findings are just beginning to scratch the surface, and their implications on performance are going to be game-changing. As a coach, understanding human psychology and brain science will make your coaching more effective and help you go beyond simply understanding sales, product, and industry. Pay attention to advances in neuroscience and dig in to the research.
“When something bad happens the brain leverages the entire body to register that feeling, and that feeling becomes associated with the event.”
— Incognito
3. Positive reinforcement — According to research described in Incognito, “When something bad happens the brain leverages the entire body to register that feeling, and that feeling becomes associated with the event. When the event is next pondered, the brain essentially runs a simulation, reliving the physical feelings of the event. Those feelings then serve to navigate, or at least bias, subsequent decision making. If the feelings form from a given event are bad they dissuade action; if they are good, they encourage it.”
Said another way, criticism is counterproductive when it comes to performance. Focus on positive reinforcement of right behaviors instead of criticizing wrong behaviors. All criticism must be constructive.
This book reinforced my belief that no one truly knows what the heck is going on in this amazing yet crazy world. That being said, there is a lot of stimulating intellectual information in this book that is worth learning about. This book will make you uncomfortable, but as we’ve learned in previous blogs — discomfort will lead to your growth!
Next Review: “The Brain That Changes Itself” by Norman Doidge
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