3 Key Takeaways From “Zero to One” That Apply to Sales Coaching
Book Review 20/25: Zero to One by Peter Thiel
Peter Thiel has an amazing ability to make complicated ideas seem overtly simple. His book “Zero to One” is a must read for anyone that is looking to create massive professional success in the future that lies in front of us all. Peter’s writing style is very straightforward and easy to comprehend, but don’t mistake that for his ideas being anything less than profound.
Early in the book Peter discusses the idea of horizontal progress versus vertical process. Simply put, horizontal progress is taking something that exists and making more of it, while vertical progress is doing or creating something that nobody else has ever done before, or going from 0 to 1.
To really dominate the future, startups and the individual worker should be on a quest to go from 0 to 1. Doing so will allow you to offer unparalleled value and create an environment where you face little to no competition. According to Thiel, every business should strive to be a monopoly, for that it is competition that tears companies apart and diminishes profits.
3 takeaways from “Zero to One” that apply to Sales Coaching
- Exhibit courage — According to Thiel, there are a lot of great ideas and minds in this world, but courage is in much more of a demand than genius. Great coaches are not afraid to challenge their teams and they are not afraid to challenge the organizational status quo. Going out on a limb for your team will take courage, but doing so successfully will garner their trust and their discretionary effort.
- Be contrarian — My favorite line from the book reads “The most contrarian thing of all is not to oppose the crowd but to think for yourself”. I’ve said for years that you can’t fake authenticity. A coach that is truly authentic and shares their thoughts, beliefs, and secrets with their team will have a team that does the same and will create a culture that is extremely powerful.
- Focus on strengths — Like many books before, Thiel takes issue with our outdated educational system. The belief that it doesn’t matter what you do as long as you do it well is completely false, according to Thiel. Instead, you should focus relentlessly on your strengths. Great coaches need to ask themselves two questions: 1) What are the strengths of those on my team, and 2) Will these strengths be valuable in the future?
This book was a bit different than some of the previous books on Bilyeu’s list. Most notably, Thiel was less focused on creating disruption and more focused on creating something new that allows businesses to win at unparalleled rates. It’s obvious that this guy thinks very differently than the rest of the world and he has achieved a level of success that supports his contrarian views.
Want a more practical approach to sales coaching? EcSell’s Sales Coaching Academy will provide the foundation in order for you to become a world-class sales coach.
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.
Let’s enjoy the journey together!
Next Review: The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell
