A Brief Profile of Vince Lombardi
ESPN named Vince Lombardi "Coach of the Century." In 1959, Vince Lombardi took over as head coach of the hapless Green Bay Packers with a record of 1-10-1. Starting from day one, he transformed the Green Bay Packers from perennial losers to champions. In doing so, he was a great motivator and instilled in his players a sense of commitment and mental toughness. Over 9 seasons, he amassed 89 wins culminating in six divisional championships, five NFL championships and two Superbowl victories.
His Business Philosophy - The Second Effort
Vince Lombardi developed players who were committed to the "second effort." In football terms, the "second effort" was the additional effort expended after the initial hit. It required the player to surge ahead after initially being stopped. Vince Lombardi explained that "football is a game of inches." For Lombardi, it was important to take advantage of each opportunity. The Lombardi philosophy transcends football and can easily be applied to sales. In fact, in 1969, Vince Lombardi directed and produced an instructional sakes video entitled "The Second Effort" in which he applied his on-the-field philosophy to sales. Here is a clip from the movie: The Second Effort.
212 Movie - The Extra Degree
Adopting a similar principle, Sam Parker developed the concept of the "extra degree" and directed a movie entitled "212 - The Extra Degree." In the movie, Mr. Parker initially uses the physical properties of water to show how the "extra degree" makes a difference. At 211 degrees, water is simply hot. At 212 degrees, water boils and produces steam. The initial premise is that the "extra degree" is the difference between inert water and steam that can, for example, power a train. From this initial premise, Sam Parker uses examples from sports ranging from golf to auto racing to swimming and more to show that the difference between winning and losing. Mr. Parker quantifies the difference both in terms of the small difference between first place and second place using number strokes, car lengths, seconds, etc. and the difference in the payout between first place and second place. Here is a link to the 212 Movie on the Just212.com website: 212 Movie.
Keys to Success
Whether you are motivated by the words of Vince Lombardi or by images of the 212 movie, the underlying principles are the same. Success at sales starts with a winning attitude. Here are the keys to developing a winning sales philosophy:
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Be Positive - Visualize Success - Winning is a Habit.
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Decide on your Goals - Develop a Plan - Take Action Now.
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Never Stop Improving and Learning - Make Adjustments - Learn from Mistakes
- Be Persistent - Work Hard - Develop your Own Winning Style - Do More than Others.
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Take Control - Be Responsible for your Actions.
If you are looking to elevate your sales performance, the 212 Movie or The Second Effort are both worth a look. Both videos are available for purchase for commercial use at sales meetings.
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