Page 125 - Never Fly Solo

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morale and builds trust, both of which lead to higher- performing
individuals and teams. And in an organization that lives or dies
by performance, morale and trust are priceless.

ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

What questions are you asking your coworkers, customers,
and wingmen to show them that you value them? Are you
letting them cross the border on their own and in the dark?
Or are you listening to what they say and checking them in to
make sure they’re on frequency?
The bottom line is that people are far more effective when
they understand and feel understood. That means maintain-
ing face-to-face or voice contact with your wingmen. It means
understanding their challenges, listening to their issues, and,
most importantly, asking the right questions. Checking in to
make sure your wingmen are on frequency and keeping open
communication with your team minimizes the stress of change
and adversity and creates a performance-enhancing environ-
ment of trust.

PICK UP THE PHONE

A few years back, while speaking at a national sales meeting
for a large medical device company, I asked the number one
salesperson for the key to his success. “That’s easy, Waldo,”
he replied. “I pick up the phone.”
I loved this answer. He began to rant and rave about how
too many salespeople rely on e-mails alone to communicate
with their clients. He said he spends most of his time calling
his clients and connecting with them. Sure, it takes more time,
but they appreciate it, and his sales figures show it.