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Business Rule #48:
It’s All in the Asking
April 10, 2006
(PAGE 2 of 2)
More importantly, by asking the right questions, Synergy found out exactly what the judges were looking for. Synergy used what they learned to good advantage, making sure to thank Ace for their sponsorship on a big sign in their activity room. The Ace executives were all smiles when they saw their corporate name so prominently displayed. What’s more, when it came time for the presentation, Michael Laungani knew to stress how the various activity stations in the room fostered teamwork among the boys and girls. Synergy gave the judges precisely what they wanted. They had this challenge in the bag, especially since Gold Rush didn’t have the benefit of this key information.
When I teach my sales training workshop, I urge participants to make sure they know their objective before going into any business meeting. Merely wanting to make contact with a potential client isn’t enough. You must ask yourself specifically what you hope to accomplish. You might want to come away with an introduction to the new buyer at a client company, an appointment to make a formal sales presentation, or your first order from a new prospect. It’s important to know what you want—or you can’t possibly ask for it.
When the executives named Synergy the clear winner, Gold Rush had to cope with yet another trip to the boardroom. Lenny may have been disgusted with Charmaine’s “negative” attitude, but she was dead right about the need to prepare the right questions before meeting with the judges. Bill Rancic and Donald Trump kept coming back to how little time Gold Rush devoted to their meeting with the judges, because they both saw the sorrowful ten-minute encounter for what it was: a missed opportunity.
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When asked whom he wanted to bring back into the boardroom, Lenny opted for Charmaine. Now, admittedly, she can be abrasive, but Charmaine had a lot of credibility on this task. Not only did she try to rally Gold Rush to find out what the executives wanted, but she also dug in her heels and did a lot of the hard labor renovating the room while Lenny and Lee were out shopping for electronics.
Lenny’s second pick was even worse: Lee Bienstock. As friends, Lee may have agreed to come into the boardroom to act as the Russian’s advocate, but Lenny should never have asked him to do it in the first place. Just as Carolyn Kepcher so aptly pointed out, it was incredibly selfish for Lenny to put Lee at risk of getting fired, just because he might help him survive. A good leader protects his people, rather than putting them at risk. Lenny exhibited bad judgment all around. Donald Trump had no choice but to fire him.
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It’s important to know what you want—or you can’t possibly ask for it.
