3 Key Takeaways From “Mastery” That Apply to Sales Coaching
(FINAL) 25th Book Review from Tom Bilyeu’s reading list
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 antidotally with application to coaching.
Special thanks to all of you who have read these blogs week after week! I hope you’ve got as much out of them as I’ve gotten from reading all 25 books.
Could it be that genius is nothing more than passionate and relentless attention to a subject?
When reading Mastery, I was constantly reminded of the famous adage “it takes ten years to become an overnight success.” Even in today’s world where it sometimes can seem like anyone can become an overnight celebrity, when you dig deeper into how and why the highest of achievers are able to reach unprecedented success, their stories are almost always rooted in hard work, intentionality, persistence and chasing a relentless pursuit of a passion.
Also, high achievers’ stories usually include a mentor, coach, or boss in their lives that taught them a great deal about their craft of choice and who helped push them above levels of performance that they did not themselves even think possible.
Greene references the value of apprenticeship which may seem like an outdated term but having read this book I am convinced that it might be more relevant in our lives now more than ever. I believe this is especially true when it comes to learning from someone that has mastered “how to build a winning mindset”, in addition to being best-in-class at their craft or profession.
3 takeaways from “Mastery” that apply to Sales Coaching
- Is your vocation your vacation? — Are you passionate about being a sales leader? Be honest. This is an important question because according to Greene, to master a field, you must love the subject and feel a profound connection to it. Perhaps you are the anomaly, but if you don’t have a burning passion for coaching and developing people you will never achieve mastery. It’s a cliché, but this book validates its importance, if you can make your vocation your vacation you will never work a day in your life.
- Find your own coach. — To be an on-going learner requires a touch of humility. Just because you became a front-line manager, or a senior leader does not mean that you have all of the answers. Master Coach John Wooden said, “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” Always seek out people that are smarter than you and who have accumulated more wisdom than you so that you never allow yourself to become a finished product.
- Revitalize your imagination. — Greene says, “In childhood, the world seemed like an enchanted place. Everything that we encountered had an intensity to it, and sparked feelings of wonder. Now, from our mature viewpoint, we see this wonderment as naïve, a quaint quality we have outgrown with our sophistication and vast experience of the real world”. It does not have to be this way! As a child, everything seems possible because that is the truth. As adults we lose this quality because slowly allow ourselves to get beaten down by life. Be a coach that uses their imagination, make things fun, and dare to help your salespeople see what’s possible for them even thought it may currently be out of sight.
I’m glad that this book came at the conclusion of this reading challenge — it’s fitting. Reaching mastery at anything requires a great deal of patience and being intentional, and at the beginning the goal of mastery will likely seem overwhelming. However, if you choose to do something that you love and are passionate about, you will somehow find that you will enjoy every step of the journey. As my late grandfather always said, “find a way to make your vocation your vacation!”
If you want to start challenging your personal actions, beliefs and the way things have always been done, then check out EcSell’s upcoming Sales Coaching Academy. There’s no doubt you won’t be challenged or leave thinking differently about the impact coaching has on performance.
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