Performance or Manipulation?
One of the golden rules of "master" closers (sales people) is "ABC" - Always Be Closing.
The constant pursuit of opportunity and growth is viewed as a sign of a great achiever.
While the world sees these as highly admired skills in the business world...
What does God have to say about it?
Is there anything we're doing that is not pleasing to God?
Is there anything we're missing or need to reconsider?
One of the things I practiced heavily and trained my team on is scripts and dialogue.
To go from not knowing what to say to smoother talkers to close a deal and make things happen.
After all...
There's only limited amount of objections and if you can master the objection handlers, it's like a master swordsman in a battle.
Victory is inevitable.
Across the country, people who knew how to say the right words to leave their opponent (the customer) without any objections left and leading to a signature were like heroes.
There were even masterminds that would put the best of the best next to each other and have "script-offs" to see who was the craftiest and most cunning. They were hailed as great and quick on their feet.
What I didn't realize is that there was a fine line between business and manipulation and I was dancing that line.
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
Depending on my HEART, I could be guiding or... manipulating.
How can you tell the difference?
Ask these questions.
- Am I overly determined to close the deal?
- Am I creating pressure that is not pleasing to God?
- Am I in surrender to God or am I trying to control the situation with my words?
- Am I reflecting God's love and patience by speaking this way?
- Are you asking Holy Spirit what you should say or do?
- Is my heart holy and pleasing to God?
What I realized is this....
I became very good with words, with sales, with objection handling, with closing.
But my heart wasn't right.
It was not filled with God's loving spirit.
I was an achiever.
The world trains you on how to "connect" with people in a calculated way.
The world teaches you how to use that to "close" the deal.
The world teaches you how to apply the right pressure to get the signature.
For many years I was in performance mode.
I wanted to hit numbers.
I wanted to hit goals.
That was my primary objective.
And without knowing, I was using these skills to manipulate and control the situation.
In sales,
In negotiations,
In hiring,
In far too many things.
After I learned that the spirit of manipulation and control is rooted in evil.
I repented and asked God to change my heart so I would not grieve Him in this way again. (I would find new ways, lol. Just kidding, but not. ^_^)
"Jesus, forgive me.
I didn't know.
I was wrong.
Help me change my ways.
Teach me YOUR ways of doing business generously, humbly, wisely, and fairly.
Teach me to surrender the results to You.
Teach to me trust you to fight my battles for me if I seek You first.
Let my ways of business draw people to You.
Let it be a conduit, not a stumbling block to You.
May the way I do business provoke others to curiosity about You.
In Jesus name, Amen."
It's amazing how many "sound" worldly principles may not necessarily please God.
Who'd a thunk it?
Yes, we're all a HOT MESS ^_^
Welcome to the club.
When God said "Do not conform to the pattern of this world" there may be more that we're doing than we know.
Be on guard brothers and sistas!
God's got you!
Cheers to more Godly ways of doing business.
