HOW'S YOUR "OPPOSITIONAL REFLEX" ???

We are discussing this week your "oppositional reflex". What does that mean and how does it possibly affect my success ? Here's the longer explanation to start - it's your need to assert your individuality. You have certain basic needs as an individual and you will oppose certain ideas, people, discussions, behaviors, and directions to fill those needs. It can be both helpful and detrimental but you need to recognize and understand it in yourself and others. No one is without it but some of us have higher degrees than others. A real simple explanation is How Coachable Are You ?

In athletic endeavors this can be a real issue for many coaches - especially when you are dealing with professionals who have attained varying degrees of proficiency. And obviously the same for Sales Professionals who have attained varying degrees of success. My favorite way of putting it is being "A Legend In Your Own Mind". The real issue is how open are you to doing something different than you have always done regarding the various selling skills ?

How many of us have attended some form of sales training and heard something from a specific trainer or peer that sounded like a good idea but you have never tried it since or if you did - it was for only a short time and then you fell back into your normal / comfortable style. I have people tell me all the time when we are doing role playing - Oh that's a great thing to say or do or ask but when I have the occasion to ask - so have you said that or asked that since - well No I haven't ! Why ?

So how did I become aware of this issue. From my mentors at Behavioral Sciences Research Press in Dallas, George Dudley and Shannon Goodson. They are coauthors of The Psychology of Sales Call Reluctance ( subtitled Earning What Your Worth In Sales ). I sell the book on my website, I provide the inciteful evaluation for an individual, and the interpretation plus follow-up.