There’s no time like right now to do what you do better. Especially right now, when our economy could most definitely be better. So let’s continue our talk about pushing the “restart button,” and rebooting your efforts at success.

Our series of “restart button” tips and suggestions began a few weeks ago with the very idea of beginning again. We had just marked the 100th day in this year, and we noted that there is still plenty of time to direct (or redirect) your habits, behaviors and activities to reach your goals. Last week, we encouraged you to develop and hone a meaningful and useful “elevator pitch” because you never know when or where you will meet your next big opportunity. For more details, see last week’s Point by accessing our archived e-newsletters at www.corsini.com.

This week, we’re calling for some introspection. One of the biggest concerns we’re hearing in our coaching programs comes from executives questioning the productivity and effectiveness of their salespeople in this difficult economic downturn. We getting more and more calls because concerned managers are looking for ways to assess their talent and increase their production and profits at a time when production and profits are waning.

Here’s why this is so important: In a prosperous economy, positive market conditions sometimes mask weaknesses of salespeople. Just about everyone can look good when they are riding the wave of plentiful buyers, abundant opportunities, and the sheer forward momentum of a prosperous market and industry. In an anemic economy, these positive forces diminish or disappear altogether. A weak economy exposes many (and in some cases all) of a salesperson’s weaknesses. In an admittedly odd, but perhaps timely analogy, it’s sort of like someone wearing a tiny bikini or Speedo trunks at the beach—some things are better left unexposed.

But that’s not all that’s going on right now. There’s also the “head game.” In a positive economy, strengths abound and optimistic attitudes are the norm. Not so in a troubling economy where, if you are not careful, negative energy, the pessimistic press, worried clients, and any anxious office gossip can sap your strength and damage your outlook and your own expectations of yourself. It becomes a vicious cycle. You get less game experience, and this lack of activity causes your positive habits and behaviors to atrophy. You lose your “gotta wanna” winning approach to opportunities. The result? Fewer results and even less activity.

Stop this cycle before it starts by being proactive! We challenge you to assess yourself, and figure out exactly how you can do what you do better. Take a good, long look at how you work. Figure out what you are great at doing; determine what you are merely good at; and, finally, figure out what you need to work on or delegate. Don’t wait for management to guide you through this exercise—take charge of your own success. Take the initiative, and be honest with yourself.

Once this assessment is done, look for some type of professional development to help you improve. Invest in yourself with technology training; work on your financial/return-on-investment abilities. Brush up on negotiation skills. Commit to becoming an advisor to your clients, thereby setting yourself apart from the competition in a big, important way. Do this even if there is nothing in the company budget for training. Make it happen. Remember that, ultimately, you work for yourself, and you are responsible for making yourself the best you can be.


Right now is a great time to assess yourself and how you work. Take some time, and look hard. Do this now, while it’s still early enough in the year for you to make any necessary adjustments to get on track to meet your goals. Write down your strengths, your weaknesses and figure out what exactly you need to work on improving. Also, get inside your own head. Restart your thinking, and “rewire” yourself back to positive habits, behaviors, attitudes and activities. At the end of the day, you work for yourself. You—and you alone—are responsible for reaching your own potential and being the best you can be.