Robb Ryerse's Blog

Have you ever had a conversation with someone about prayer and walked away wondering about how two people could have such different perspectives about and experiences with the same thing? Have you ever heard a sermon or read a book about prayer and very little of it resonated with your experience?

Most of us probably have.

The reason people practice and experience prayer so differently could be explained by the model of human development known as spiral dynamics. Spiral dynamics observes human development as a series of levels which cannot be skipped or avoided. Certainly, people can get stuck at a level and can often be stratified among multiple levels in how they live. However, as people continue to grow and develop, a common pattern has emerged, and spiral dynamics explains that.

Spiral dynamics is a tool that can be used to explain so much of life and human interaction. I think it might help us understand why we talk about and experience prayer so differently.

Let me explain.

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Beige

The beige level of spiral dynamics is about basic survival. At this level, a person’s only concern is staying alive and having the things necessary for survival such as food and shelter.

Think here of an infant child whose only concern in life is getting fed, getting changed, being held, and sleeping.

At the beige level, prayer is completely uncomplicated. It is a cry for the immediate necessities of survival. God, help.

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Purple

The purple level of spiral dynamics is when a person begins to recognize the tribe in which they live, primarily their family. At the purple level, the survival of the tribe is the primary concern, and there is a recognition that there can be a cause-and-effect component to the universe. Rain and sun makes plants grow. As a result, people at the purple level develop rituals and traditions designed to influence this cause and effect. It is at this stage of development that things like rain dances come into being. Some call this level of development the “magical” or “mythical” level.

Think here of a toddler whose whole life revolves around their family. They loves Disney movies that are full of magic and reinforce the values of the family unit.

At the purple level, prayer becomes a corporate function. There is a belief that the more people who are praying about a specific request, the more likely the desired outcome will be. Also, at the purple level, the content of prayer is often directly connected to the physical world, such as physical health, good weather for an event, or even who is going to win a football game.

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Red

The red level of spiral dynamics is when a person begins to express their autonomy from the tribe. It’s a stage of development in which people are empowered to be themselves and begin to own their lives and space. They take what they believe to be rightfully theirs.

Think here of a rebellious teenager who is testing the boundaries, finding their own voice, preparing to leave their family and start college, and branching out on their own for the first time.

At the red level, prayer takes on a militaristic form. It is at this level that people with prayer requests begin to recruit “prayer warriors” who will best be able to take up their cause in prayer. At this stage, prayer can also be conceived of as a weapon in a cosmic struggle between the forces of good and the forces of evil. Prayer walks, name and claiming things in prayer, and even imprecatory prayers are all examples of red prayers.

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Blue

The blue level of spiral dynamics is when a person realizes that to survive in a civilaization they need to begin to live by the rules of society. It is here that the laws that guide people’s behavior become a primary motivating force. At blue, a person lives by an accepted (and often written-down) code. People find their identity in the civilized and established group.

Think here of the recent college graduate who is getting a job, settling down, learning to pay their bills on time, buying a home, and becoming a contributing member of society.

At the blue level, prayer becomes civilized. Prayer is often about following a pattern and developing a routine. At blue, people may pray using a system like ACTS – adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. They might have a quiet time that includes journaling as a prayer practice. Also at blue, some people will discover written or liturgical prayers that help them identify with a particular religious tradition.

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Orange

The orange level of spiral dynamics is when a person wants more than what conforming to the civilization can offer and begins to push toward their own success. They want advancement and are willing to work hard to achieve it. Getting ahead, whether at work or at home, becomes the driving force.

Think here about the person who goes back to school so that they can get a promotion at their job or the person who quits their 9-to-5 job to chase their dreams.

At the orange level, prayer can get commercialized. People being seeking out books, classes, and other resources that can help them be successful at prayer. One classic example of this is the Prayer of Jabez book that was wildly popular and faddish in the year 2000 because it taught people to pray an obscure biblical prayer about their “territory being expanded.”

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Green

The green level of spiral dynamics is when a person realizes that there is more to life than success. They begin to become aware of problems in society and around the globe that need to be addressed. They find themselves interested in hearing the voices of others and validating multiple perspectives. It is at green that people become more pluralistic and start valuing things like coexistence.

Think here of the successful person who starts to get a bigger view of the world. Suddenly, they care about the planet, where their clothes and food are sourced, and their carbon footprint. How they vote might change for the first time in their lives.

At the green level, prayer becomes less about getting things from God. A common green mantra for prayer is that “prayer is not about changing God, but it is about changing me.” People at this stage might discover prayers from other traditions or even other religions and find that they are deeply resonating with them.

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Yellow

The yellow level of spiral dynamics is when a person becomes aware of the whole spiral. They begin to see the value and usefulness of each of the other levels. Paradoxically, they recognize that not all voices and perspectives are equally valid and yet they seek a holistic view of all things. Non-dualistic thinking begins to emerge in yellow.

Think here of the person who is able to exhibit wisdom, discernment, grace, and non-judgment in perfect balance. At yellow, people become thought leaders.

At the yellow level, prayer becomes much less about the words. Prayer is experienced as meditation, mindfulness, and contemplation. At this level, prayer doesn’t have to be something that is separate from any other part of life, for everything done with mindfulness is prayer.

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Turquoise

The turquoise level of spiral dynamics is exceedingly rare. People at this level have achieved a type of transcendence and peace that few can conceive of.

Think here of a guru.

At the turquoise level, prayer is a mystical experience of oneness with God and all. People at this level often have metaphysical experiences that defy categorization and logic.

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What do you think? Could spiral dynamics explain why we often talk past one another when we talk about prayer?

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The post Prayer and Spiral Dynamics appeared first on Robb Ryerse.

Parents all over America are wondering if it’s safe to send their children to school today. They want a society in which our kids can go to class or the movies without having to worry that they will be gunned down. As a country, we have endured senseless tragedy after senseless tragedy. And in response, our elected officials offer their thoughts and prayers but not their actions. They can’t risk upsetting their special interest donors by doing what the vast majority of Americans expect them to do – take the steps necessary to build a safer society.

As a candidate for Congress in Arkansas’ 3rd district, I am not beholden to any corporate donors or special interest groups. Therefore, I can speak honestly and forthrightly about what needs to be done to address the plague of school shootings and gun violence in America. We don’t have to feel powerless. There are things that can be done. We can take the following steps.

Here is my plan to meaningfully address gun violence in America:

Common Sense Gun Laws

The vast majority of American are unified in their belief that we can preserve our 2nd Amendment rights while also enacting common sense gun laws. Congress needs to act immediately in banning automatic and semi-automatic weapons, closing loopholes that allow guns to purchased at shows and online, banning bump stocks, and establishing a national permit to purchase program that includes effective background checks. None of these reforms infringe on any law-abiding citizen’s ability to own a gun, but they do reduce the likelihood that the wrong types of weapons get into the hands of the wrong kinds of people.

Comprehensive Threat Assessment in Every School in America

Experts agree that when schools conduct a comprehensive threat assessment, they are better prepared to identify and respond to potentially tragic situations. The Department of Education needs to create a template for a Comprehensive Threat Assessment that must be conducted in every school in America before the beginning of the next school year. Ensuring the safety of our children needs to be the single top priority of every school board in America, and through the Department of Education, they need to have the resources necessary to make student safety the top priority.

Study the Links between Gun Violence, Mental Illness, and Adolescent Medication

Whenever a mass shooting takes place in America, much of the ensuing conversation revolves around whether or not the shooter was mentally ill. Often this discussion is used to deflect attention from other needed action, like common sense gun law reform. However, it is incumbent upon us to establish clearly whether or not there is a link between mental illness and mass shootings or between school shootings and adolescent use of certain medications. The President needs to establish an independent blue-ribbon commission to conduct this study, and then Congress needs to implement its recommendations.

Explore Liability Insurance for Gun Owners

The law requires citizens to purchase insurance when they become owners of homes and motor vehicles. When people have such insurance, they are incentivized by insurance companies to get lower rates in exchange for freely choosing to enact certain behaviors, such as maintaining a perfect driving record or installing a home security system. If gun owners were required to purchase liability insurance, they too would have a financial incentive to enact greater safety procedures in their homes, thus reducing the risk of both accidental and intentional gun violence.

National Dialog about the Myth of Redemptive Violence

We need a national conversation about what we believe about violence. For too long, we’ve glorified violence in our entertainment and have told ourselves formative narratives that reinforce the myth of redemptive violence, which is that the only way to overcome violence is through great, more overwhelming violence. Unfortunately, our politicians often reinforce this narrative in their rhetoric. From kitchen tables to boardrooms, from classrooms to legislative chambers, we need to talk realistically and honestly about the role we want violence to play in our society. Perhaps this dialog can be enhanced by an Ad Council campaign that seeks to reframe the conversation, as has been successful with texting and driving, recycling, and other issues.

Campaign Finance Reform

Ultimately, every issue in the current American political climate is a financial one. Our elected officials can’t be trusted to put the needs of people first because they are beholden to the corporations and special interest groups that fund their campaigns. We won’t have leadership willing to take these necessary steps until we elect leaders who do not take money from the gun industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and their lobbyists.

Any American, including you, who is concerned about gun violence in our society can immediately donate to and volunteer for candidates who refuse corporate and SuperPAC donations, knowing that the likelihood of these issues being addressed goes up when we elect representatives who will serve the people first.

We are not doomed to a future of escalating tragedy. We can preserve our freedoms while also increasing our security. What we need to do is support and elect leaders who will put the needs of people first by taking the steps necessary to reduce gun violence in America.

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If you’d like to contribute to help me get my name on the ballot in Arkansas where ballot access fees are the highest in the country, so that I can be an independent representative for you, click here: Arkansas Ballot Fees Are the Highest in US. Let’s Get Robb on the Ballot!

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Visit Robb2018.com.

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The post What Can Be Done about School & Mass Shootings in America? appeared first on Robb Ryerse.

It’s a classic story on the Sunday school circuit: Jesus and his disciples are walking one day and see a man begging on the side of the road, a man who had been born blind. The disciples take this opportunity to ask Jesus a gossipy question, “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

The question betrays a common belief at the time, namely that sickness was the result of sin. If someone had a debilitating disease of some kind, someone had to be responsible for it. Maybe his parents had done something which caused the blindness. Maybe the man himself had sinned in some way, bringing on the ailment.

Either way, the man was sick and it was his or his family’s fault.

When we read this now, we probably think, “Aren’t Jesus’ disciples so quaint?” We look back with bemusement that people would think that someone’s health was directly tied to their character. Do the right thing and be healthy. Do the wrong thing and be sick. We know now that it’s just not that straightforward and simple.

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Recently, Congressman Jason Chaffetz suggested that people who cannot afford health insurance under the proposed plan that repeals and replaces the Affordable Care Act will have to make a choice between buying health insurance and buying a new iPhone. It was a regrettable comment for a number of reasons, and Chaffetz has subsequently tried to walk it back.

However, Chaffetz’s comment betrays a common belief of our time, namely that poor people can’t afford health insurance because they have sinned. Being poor is a sin. Whether they would say it outright or not, many believe that people are poor because they lack discipline, they are lazy, or they don’t have enough faith. Sin is the cause.

In the politicized evangelical world, it is not uncommon to hear people who receive government assistance disparaged, “The Bible clearly say, ‘If you don’t work, you don’t eat.’” Obviously, someone who would be so foolish as to buy a new iPhone rather than health insurance has sinful priorities or some kind of character deficiency.

Who sinned that you don’t have health care? It’s either your fault or your family’s.

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Getting back to the biblical story about the man born blind, Jesus completely rejects the premise of the disciples’ question. His answer is unequivocal – neither are to blame. And then, Jesus, rather dramatically, covers the man’s eyes in mud made from his own spit and sends him off to wash it clean and be healed from his blindness.

There are two significant things we can learn from the example of Jesus in this story.

First, we need to stop blaming poor people who can’t afford health care. 

Sure, there are unquestionably people who are lazy and undisciplined. However, poverty in America is far more complicated an issue. Generational poverty, income inequality, rural underdevelopment, and lack of access to education and opportunity are all much more likely reasons for someone to be unable to pay health insurance premiums. Not being able to afford health care is not a sin problem. Jesus didn’t judge people needing health care, and so neither should we.

Second, if Jesus took responsibility for other people’s health care, then so should we. 

Jesus didn’t just see people in need and pass them by. Over and over again, the Bible tells us stories of how he did what he could to help, which often meant miraculous healing (which isn’t going to be an option for us). But many evangelicals I know tend to shirk taking responsibility for others, emphasizing instead the notion of “personal responsibility.” And yet the example of Jesus – a willingness to take responsibility for other people’s health care – might very well mean that we prioritize people’s health care over lower taxes.

Far from being a cute Sunday school story, maybe this story has one deeply relevant and radical message. Evangelical Christians need to take their cues not from political leaders but from Jesus.

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The post Who Sinned That He Doesn’t Have Health Care? appeared first on Robb Ryerse.

I first met Vanessa in October of 1993. A mutual friend introduced us, and I knew immediately that she was someone I had to know more. I asked her out on our first date the very next day.

We’ve been together – more or less – ever since.

I was there when she really began following Jesus. I was there when she found her voice with older men who weren’t used to having to take a young woman so seriously. I was there when she pledged her life and love to a boy whose heart was captivated by her. I was there when she threw herself completely into serving the church. I was there when she welcomed babies into a growing family. I was there when she bucked stuffy traditions. I was there when she risked everything on a crazy dream of doing church and life a whole new way. I was there when she became a businesswoman. I was there when she became an artist. I was there when she began seeing herself as the pastor she is called to be.

And I’ll be there when she is ordained today.

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On our 20th wedding anniversary, I told Vanessa that the defining thing about her is that she makes everything better.

I am a better man because of her.

Our family is a better family because of her.

Vintage Fellowship is a better church community because of her.

The world is and will be a better place because of her.

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People, I imagine, wonder what I really think about Vanessa getting ordained. Does it threaten me? Does it diminish me? Does it make my own pastoral ministry less important? The only truthful and clear answer is no.

In one sense, Vanessa’s ordination changes everything. And in another, it changes nothing.

We will still serve as a team. We will still wrestle together with big questions. We will still lose sleep over the things that concern us. We will still do everything in our power to make Vintage Fellowship the light in the darkness we’ve always believed it could be.

But now, everyone will know what I’ve always known – Vanessa is the kind of gracious and strong leader we all need.

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I could not be more proud to call her my wife, my friend, my partner, my pastor.

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The post On the Ordination of My Wife appeared first on Robb Ryerse.

I am a big believer in the philosophy that “facts tell, but stories sell.”

I’ve written about it before, but I’m ready to add a very important caveat. We can’t just tell any story, we’ve got to make sure that we’re telling the right story.

Facts tell, but the right stories sell.

The illustrations, images, and metaphors we use need to be fitting to the presentation being made, thought through and well-crafted, and – most critically – appropriate to the audience.

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Let me give you an illustration.

This week Betsy DeVos had her hearings before a Senate confirmation committee to become Secretary of Education. She was asked by Senator Chris Murphy about her stance on guns in schools. Given the increased number of school shootings we’ve seen over the past couple of decades, this is not in anyway the type of gotcha question that is the bane of our political existence. It was a good and heartfelt question.

In response, Betsy DeVos reiterated her support for local decision-making when it comes to such issues. She illustrated her point by talking about a school in Wyoming needing a shotgun to ward off grizzly bear attacks.

Screeching brake noises. What?!?

The story didn’t sell.

You see, Senator Chris Murphy is from Connecticut. Connecticut, as you know, is home to Sandy Hook, where the worst school shooting in American history happened just four years ago. The stories about gun violence in schools that he is used to hearing are the ones told to him by grieving parents.

Betsy DeVos didn’t know her audience. She didn’t tell the right story. And as a result fewer and fewer people are buying her as Secretary of Education.

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But this article isn’t about Betsy DeVos. It’s about how telling the wrong story can derail the sales process. I’m sure it’s happened to all of us at some point or another.

I remember once being on a sales call with my manager. We were talking to the owner of a local chain of pizza restaurants. We were trying to convince him to do some advertising with us, and he was throwing up every roadblock he could think of. It was a spirited and lively conversation.

In the course of the conversation, my manager kept coming back to the same illustration, over and over again. He kept describing the difference between a BMW and a Hyundai. Both can get you where you need to go, he would say, but one gets you there a whole lot better than the other. It was clear – BMWs are good and Hyundais are bad. It’s a decent illustration, one that my manager really liked because I heard him use it often.

However, we were talking to a good ole boy who drove a pickup truck. His pizza places are known for their $5 hot and now offer. Honestly, he’s not the BMW of pizza restaurants in our area. He’s the Hyundai of pizza.

We couldn’t convince him to buy from us. As I reflected on that meeting later, I wondered if the story we relied on actually made it harder for us to make the sale.

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Here’s something I’ve learned about telling stories in the sales process: you can’t just wing it. You can’t always fall back to the same old illustrations you’ve used a thousand times. The zip and passion and energy won’t be there. The clear connecting of dots for your client will get fuzzy. And you’ll end up telling a story that makes selling harder for you because it doesn’t fit your audience.

So, before your meeting, think about who you’re meeting with. Think about their personality, their motivations, their experiences. Think about which stories are the best to tell and which are best to leave out.

And when you’re ready, go tell a great story.

Because facts tell, but the right stories sell.

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The post Sales and Stories and Bears! Oh My! appeared first on Robb Ryerse.

In a recent speech, Donald Trump was distracted by a baby crying somewhere in the crowd. As a pastor who has experienced firsthand what it’s like to have your train of thought jump the tracks because you hear a crying infant, I immediately sympathized with him.

I even appreciated how he handled the situation.

“Don’t worry about that baby; I love babies … I hear that baby crying; I like it.” Trump said. “What a baby, what a beautiful baby. Don’t worry … Don’t worry about it.”

Imagine the baby’s mother in the back of the room. She knows her child is being a distraction to people. She’s desperately trying to keep him quiet. She wants to make sure her child is comforted, and she wants to be considerate of others.

Donald Trump’s words must have been a huge relief to her. A moment of grace when she was panicking. She was welcomed. Her baby was welcomed.

And so, she did just as Trump said. She didn’t worry about it. Her baby had been called beautiful by a man who could be President. She relaxed and presumably enjoyed the speech.

But her baby kept crying.

Once again Donald Trump noticed. He stopped again. And this time, he said what he really thought.

“Actually, I was only kidding. You can get the baby out of here,” he said sarcastically to roars of laughter. “I think she really believed me that I love having a baby crying when I’m speaking … People don’t understand.”

No, apparently they don’t. 

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When someone says that something is not be worried about, the people who are worrying take comfort and stop worrying. When someone says that people are welcomed, the people who are wondering if it’s OK for them to be there relax and feel welcomed. They do really believe the words that are said to them.

That’s what makes it so tragic that Donald Trump was lying to that mother. Her crying baby wasn’t welcomed. He didn’t love it. It was something to worry about. And he mocked her for believing him.

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It’s sometimes easy to point a finger at a national figure who is so blatantly caught in a lie. It’s much harder to point the finger at ourselves when we tell similar lies.

I’ve noticed that a lot of churches advertise that everyone is welcome in their communities. They say that they are a place for all. Anyone and everyone is welcome to come in their doors. “Come just as you are,” they proudly pronounce. “We love everyone.”

On some level, I’m sure they mean it. After all, most churches keep track of their attendance, and new guests help to pad the numbers. Of course they’re welcomed. More people in their services are more people who can hear the message, who can be ministered to, who can be reached.

Sure, you might “come as you are,” but like the crying baby at the Trump rally, sooner or later (and really, it ought be sooner) you better stop crying and get your life in order.

Our welcomes have limits. If you don’t clean up, shape up, quiet down, and get along, you’re no longer going to be welcome. And, if you don’t realize this, we might end up mocking you. “I think they really believed us that we love everyone. People don’t understand.”

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The idea of welcoming someone is to gladly receive them. The word doesn’t have limits in its connotation. Further, the Christian value of hospitality is not one that has strings attached.

Over and over again, the example of Jesus is to welcome people no matter what.

Self-righteous religious people? Jesus welcomed them.

Adulterous women? Jesus welcomed them.

The outcast and marginalized? Jesus welcomed them. 

The handicapped? Jesus welcomed them.

Poor people? Jesus welcomed them.

People from different racial, ethic, political, and theological backgrounds? Jesus welcomed them.

Crying babies? Jesus welcomed them.

In a scene that is strikingly similar to the Trump rally, Jesus was once inundated with parents who wanted their crying, squirming children to get close to him. Jesus’ disciples rebuked those parents, “You can get those babies out of here.” But Jesus was having no part of it. “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them,” he said, “for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19.14).

The kingdom of heaven belongs not to the people who lead churches or develop their clever marketing schemes. The kingdom of heaven belongs not to those who make up the cool sounding slogans like “Come just as you are” and “All are welcome.”

The kingdom of heaven belongs to the seeking religious people, the adulterous women, the outcast, the marginalized, the handicapped, the poor, the different, and the crying babies.

It seems to me that when Jesus says the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these, he wasn’t putting a time limit on it. It’s a no-strings-attached promise. The welcome doesn’t get revoked if someone doesn’t make the right profession of theology or changes their personality or overcomes their sin. It just is. The kingdom of heaven belongs – and will continue to belong – to such as them.

Because we’re all crying babies in some sense. If the kingdom of heaven doesn’t belong to us, it doesn’t belong to anyone.

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Churches need to be really careful that when they advertise a hospitable culture and a welcoming atmosphere that they are not actually lying. 

Is a person who is transgender welcome in your church?

Is a person with serious doubts welcome in your church?

Is a person with mental illness welcome in your church?

Is a person going through a messy divorce welcome in your church?

Is a person who is gay, lesbian, or bisexual welcome in your church?

Is a person who disagrees with your pastor welcome in your church?

If not, your church is probably lying to you.

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The post Your Church Is Probably Lying to You appeared first on Robb Ryerse.

I am a sucker for minority reports. I love anything that questions the conventional wisdom. As soon as everybody starts to think the same way or have the same perspective, I begin to wonder if we’ve got it all wrong.

It’s for this reason that when I heard that one of my favorite authors, Malcolm Gladwell, was going to be doing a podcast called Revisionist History in which he was going to reinterpret something from the past, I knew I would be in. It’s a 10 part podcast, and my favorite episode has been #3 – The Big Man Can’t Shoot.

The Big Man Can’t Shoot is about taking granny shots – underhanded free throws. They look silly but they are far more effective than overhand shooting from the line. With two notable exceptions – Rick Barry and Wilt Chamberlain (especially in his 100 point game) – nobody shoots this way. Even though it’s better.

In the podcast, Gladwell talks to a sociologist named Mark Granovetter about the Threshold Model of Collective Behavior. The basic idea is that we are all influenced by the behavior of others, but we have different thresholds at which we’re willing to change our behavior. Some people won’t try something new until everyone else is doing it. Other people are early adopters who’s threshold for change is very low. Most of us probably fall somewhere in the middle.

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It’s high thresholds that keep good ideas from catching on. 

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In sales, we’re trying to get people to change their behavior, to try something new, to adopt a new idea. It might be a new brand or a new strategy or a new system. For us to be effective, we need to figure out the threshold for change that our buyers have.

Some buyers have a low threshold. They want to be innovative. Appeal to how you can put them on the cutting edge, far outpacing their competitors.

Some buyers have a high threshold. They’re going to need to see case studies, proven results, and examples. For these risk averse buyers, you’re going to need to mitigate the fear of change.

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To determine a buyer’s threshold, you’ll need to be direct. Here are some questions you can ask to help determine your buyer’s threshold for trying a new idea:

Tell me about a time that you tried something new. How did it go?

Generally speaking, do you (or the company) tend to be open to trying new things?

What holds you back from making a big change in your strategy?

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Your idea, your product, your solution is a great one. It’s what everybody should be doing. It works. Just like a granny shot. But it’s not going to catch on until you figure out the thresholds of your buyers and customize your approach to meet them where they are.

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The post Granny Shots and Selling Great Ideas appeared first on Robb Ryerse.

I’ve have been the manager. And I have been the managed. Frankly, neither is easy. In sales, as in almost all professions, there can be a natural tension between management and employees. As leaders, sales managers need to take the initiative in building strong, successful teams. With all that is on their plates, I think sales managers often forget some basic things. Here are 5 things I wish they’d remember:

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Remember to Sell Me, Not Tell Me

Most sales manager were once salespeople. Usually, they were good ones, which is why they got promoted. But I’ve seen so many sales managers forget the basics that got them to the job that they’re in. Would any good salesperson expect a client to do something simply because the salesperson said so? Of course not. And yet, many sales managers expect their teams to complete tasks or be enthusiastic about an initiative simply because the manager said so. Sell me on it. If you get me to buy in to your idea, then I can’t be stopped. Use your excellent salesmanship, not your position, to get me on board.

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Remember what Number Matters Most to Me

I get that the company has numbers to hit. I actually enjoy knowing where we stand as a team. However, just knowing those numbers might not be enough to motivate me. I get that they keep you up at night, but you’ve got to remember that the number that keeps me up at night is the one on my paycheck. If you want to motivate me by giving me team or company numbers, don’t forget to connect the dots back to how my contribution will mean success for both of us.

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Remember that I Can’t Have All the Answers

When I first started in sales, I had a manager who would ask me questions I could not answer. He would want to know the details of why certain clients or prospects were doing what they were doing. It was information I simply didn’t have and couldn’t legitimately get. He was frustrated. I was frustrated. There has got to be a better way for managers to engage their team members than to make them feel dumb and ill-informed. Sales managers need to think about how they ask questions and when they ask questions to maximize their information gathering while also minimizing the sales team’s angst.

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Remember that I Really Want Everyone to Play by the Same Rules

Seniority matters. Special circumstances happen. And some things can’t be public knowledge. So, the way a sales team operates will not always be fair and equitable. There will be times that someone needs extra space and grace. I’m fine with that. That’s not a problem. In fact, that makes me more loyal to my sales manager because I know if something happens with me, I’m likely to get treated well. The problem is when all the members of a sales team don’t play by the rules. When attendance and activity policies, for instance, aren’t equally enforced, it won’t take long for members of the team to notice and begin to wonder why someone else can get away with something that they can’t. It’s never good when members of a sales team are wondering those kinds of things.

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Remember that You Do Impact Morale

I once had a manager tell me that morale among the sales team was not his responsibility. I could not disagree more. What a sales manager does – changing the comp plans, adding additional busy work, showing favoritism, being overbearing – can have a negative impact on team morale. A sales manager who doesn’t appreciate his or her impact on the mood in the office runs the risk of losing their team altogether.

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No matter which side of the desk you sit on, the sales process can be improved when there are clear expectations, strong communication, and a ton of trust between a sales manager and his or her team. A strong team needs a strong leader, I wish sales managers would remember that.

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The post 5 Things I Wish My Sales Manager Would Remember appeared first on Robb Ryerse.

I am endlessly fascinated by the connection between psychology and sales.

What makes a salesperson tick? Are some personality types more likely to be successful salespeople? What insights can we gain from personality profiles that will help us to be better salespeople?

One of my favorite personality profiles is the Enneagram. Here’s the summary, according to Wikipedia:

The Enneagram of Personality, or simply the Enneagram (from the Greek words ἐννέα [ennea, meaning “nine”] and γράμμα [gramma, meaning something “written” or “drawn”), is a model of human personality which is principally understood and taught as a typology of nine interconnected personality types. … As a typology the Enneagram defines nine personality types (sometimes referred to as “enneatypes”), which are represented by the points of a geometric figure called an enneagram, which, it is believed, also indicate some of the connections between the types. There are different schools of thought among Enneagram teachers, therefore their ideas on some theoretical aspects are not always in agreement.

The Enneagram of Personality has been widely promoted in both business management and spiritual contexts through seminars, conferences, books, magazines, and DVDs. In business contexts it is generally used as a typology to gain insights into workplace dynamics; in spirituality it is more commonly presented as a path to higher states of being, essence, and enlightenment. It has been described as a method for self-understanding and self-development.

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The 9 Enneagram personalities are:

1 – Reformer

2 – Helper

3 – Achiever

4 – Individualist

5 – Investigator

6 – Loyalist

7 – Enthusiast

8 – Challenger

9 – Peacemaker

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While I am far from an expert, knowing my Enneagram number has helped me to identify, for instance, why I take a “no” so hard. As a 3 on the Enneagram chart, I am wired to want people to like me and think that I am valuable because of how I serve them. As a salesperson, this means that I am going to take very seriously the need to meet my client’s needs. If I bring them solutions, I can’t understand why they won’t take them. And often, I’ll take it personally. Knowing all of this about myself helps me to take healthy steps of handling areas of personal weakness.

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Here’s a great chart from the fantastic Enneagram In Business showing how different people think about sales, according to their Enneagram number:

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According to this site, the best Enneagram numbers for sales jobs are 2, 3, 8, and 9. Want to figure out your number? Take one of these Enneagram tests.

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Join the Bow Tie Sales Guy community on Facebook. Like our page here and submit questions which will be answered in an upcoming podcast.

Come back tomorrow for an article about a bunch of things I wish my sales manager knew.

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The post Enneagram and Sales: Personality Profiles appeared first on Robb Ryerse.

For a moment, put yourself in the shoes of the average business owner.

You walk in the door of her office, and you think you’re unique. But the reality is that your competitors have already been there. Or will be there soon. Maybe even some of your teammates called on her. And so did the yellow pages guy. And the copier salesman. And she got three phone calls from people wanting her to update her website or change her internet service. Not to mention the little league team that wants to put her business name on their jerseys.

It’s been estimated that the average business owner interacts with well over 100 salespeople per month.

You are one face in a hundred.

What can you do to stand out? How can you be memorable? What will make your clients see you as something other than just another salesperson?

Having a personal brand will give you a memorable and meaningful identity with your prospects and clients. Here are some ideas about developing your own personal brand:

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Be Authentic

I know what it’s like to sit in a sales meeting or in a training and think, “Man, I wish I could come up creative ideas as fast as she does,” or “If I could just answer answer objections like he does, I’d be all set.” There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to sales, and it’s unlikely that you’re going to be able to master every single one of them. It’s tempting to try to mimic someone else’s approach, to attempt to clone them. But you’ll inevitably fail.

Certainly, take every opportunity to learn from a successful salesperson, but realize that your success doesn’t depend on you copying someone else but rather being the best version of yourself. The very first sale we have to make to a prospect is selling ourselves. If you’re not selling YOU then you’re going to fail. I believe that authenticity is the single most valuable and compelling commodity that we have as salespeople.

If you’re outgoing and gregarious, own it. If you’re a quiet numbers person, own it. If you love sports, don’t be shy to talk about it. If being a mom is what most animates you, share that part of yourself. Let your clients get to know you, the real you, the best you. Don’t be overbearing or obnoxious, but be yourself.

You can only be you. Be the best version of you.

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Be An Expert Consultant

One key way you can stand out from the crowd of people wanting to simply sell your clients something is to be an expert consultant. Most of my clients have zero desire to be sold something. However, almost all of them want to be taught how they can improve their businesses. If I can give them resources, case studies, and ideas to do that, I am going to make myself memorable to them.

This requires research ahead of time. Too many salespeople try to learn everything there is to know about a client when they’re standing in front of them. It is much wiser to do a lot of research ahead of time. Get knowledgable about your client’s industry, company, and competitors. You’ll communicate that you respect them and their time when you can ask in-depth questions from the beginning. You’ll show that they mean enough to you that you did your homework ahead of time.

Trust me, after all the schlubs that have forced them into uneducated conversations, they’ll find you as an expert consultant to be a breath of fresh air.

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Be Appropriately Professional

A few years ago, I attended a sales meeting in Wisconsin with our local sales rep who had scheduled the meeting. We were meeting with the headmaster of a large, stuffy, religious high school. Tuition was expensive and standards were high. Students had to wear a dress code, and the headmaster reminded me of someone out of Dead Poets Society. Our local rep and I met in the parking lot. He showed up an oversized polo shirt, shorts that showed off a large tattoo on his leg, and a pair of scuffed up work boots. I was in a suit and tie … just like the headmaster we met with. We didn’t close the sale.

It’s tremendously important to communicate respect to your clients by appearing, talking, and conducting yourself in an appropriately professional manner. To be clear, I don’t think it’s necessary to always wear a suit and tie with a client. In fact, I think it can be a determent if it communicates “sleazy salesman.” Or, if you’re meeting with an auto body shop owner, for instance, I doubt a business suit is the way to go. The point is not to be too casual or too formal, but to be appropriately professional.

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Be Consistently Different

Speaking of how we dress, on Mondays through Thursdays, my company requires me to wear a suit and tie. For a while, this policy annoyed me, until I decided a few years ago to use it to my advantage. I started wearing bowties. In my market, I’m totally cool with being remembered as the “bowtie guy.” In fact, I’ve embraced it. The thank you cards that I send clients and prospects after meetings have my custom bowtie logo on them. They reinforce my personal brand.

There are hundreds of hooks you can use to make yourself stand out from the crowd. Be the person who drops off coffees once a month. Take your clients relevant articles. Always send thank you notes.

But to develop a brand, you can’t just do it once and give up. Personal branding takes consistency. When companies develop brands, they create style guides to make sure that all of their communication adheres consistently to their brand. Think about your own style guide – the way you dress, speak, write email, and entertain your clients. How can you do it with creativity and consistency?

That is your personal brand.

That is how you stand out as the go-to one in a crowd of a hundred.

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Join the Bow Tie Sales Guy community on Facebook. Like our page here and submit questions which will be answered in an upcoming podcast.

Come back tomorrow for an article about the psychology of successful salespeople.

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