When Justin Tucker, the Baltimore Ravens placekicker, won the John Madden Turkey award on Thanksgiving night he made it a point to invite his long-snapper and holder to join him at the table to share the limelight. Why? Because Justin understands that in order for him to be successful, he can’t do it alone! Without a coordinated effort of an accurate snap and a solid hold, his chances of making a field goal are significantly diminished. He is more humble than prideful. And my guess is his teammates recognize this trait and want to work even harder to give Justin the best possible chance of making a successful kick.
In business, the same is true. In order to be successful long term we need a supporting cast. A wise man once told me; “ We are only as good as the people who surround us” Whether it is back office personnel, field service folks, or individuals in home office, it takes a coordinated effort to succeed.
In my case I was blessed with outstanding pre-sales systems engineers, dedicated field service technicians, as well as responsive administrative assistants. The bottom line is without this comprehensive support infrastructure I would not have been successful.
During this Christmas season I would encourage you to think of ALL the people that contribute to your success throughout the year. Let them know you appreciate their efforts. And by the way, recognizing your support staff should not be something you do only once a year. You will find the more you allow others to share in your success, the more they will want to do for you. It’s a very simple formula but unfortunately some people don’t get it and want to take all the credit for their success.
Being more humble than prideful is my 5th Universal Sales Truth.