The salesman was a keen hunter, who needed a new bird dog. His
search ended when he found a dog that could actually walk on water to
retrieve a duck. Amazed by his discovery, he was sure none of his
co-workers would ever believe him.
He decided to share his great discovery with his sales manager in order to impress him and perhaps get a raise. If he could impress his sales manager, an eternal pessimist who steadfastly refused to be impressed by anyone or anything, the salesman knew he would be able to impress anyone. So his pessimistic boss was invited to go along on a hunting trip to the country with the salesman and his new dog that Saturday. However, the salesman deliberately refrained from mentioning his dog's special talent, he wanted to see how his boss would react.
The two men and the dog made their way to a good hunting lake and as they waited by the shore, a flock of ducks flew overhead. Both men fired, and a duck fell. The salesman's dog jumped into the water, but instead of sinking, it walked across the water to retrieve the bird, never getting more than its paws wet. This continued throughout the day. Each time a duck fell, the dog walked across the surface of the water to retrieve it.
The pessimistic sales manager watched carefully, observing everything, but did not say a word. On the drive home, the salesman couldn't take it any longer, so he asked his manager, "Did you notice anything unusual about my new dog?"
"Sure did," replied the pessimistic sales manager. "He can't swim."
Moral of the story. True sales professionals know that you have to stay focused on your customers at all times in order to succeed at sales. If you come across a big opportunity, don't make a big deal about it. Just do your job and close it. Don't waste your time trying to impress your manager, you could walk on water, and they still wouldn't notice. As far as sales managers are concerned, as a sales rep, you've got a target. Hit that target and you survive. Miss your target and you become one. As a salesperson, if your hunt goes bad, remember to duck.
"Optimism doesn't wait on facts. It deals with prospects. Pessimism is a waste of time." - Norman Cousins
He decided to share his great discovery with his sales manager in order to impress him and perhaps get a raise. If he could impress his sales manager, an eternal pessimist who steadfastly refused to be impressed by anyone or anything, the salesman knew he would be able to impress anyone. So his pessimistic boss was invited to go along on a hunting trip to the country with the salesman and his new dog that Saturday. However, the salesman deliberately refrained from mentioning his dog's special talent, he wanted to see how his boss would react.
The two men and the dog made their way to a good hunting lake and as they waited by the shore, a flock of ducks flew overhead. Both men fired, and a duck fell. The salesman's dog jumped into the water, but instead of sinking, it walked across the water to retrieve the bird, never getting more than its paws wet. This continued throughout the day. Each time a duck fell, the dog walked across the surface of the water to retrieve it.
The pessimistic sales manager watched carefully, observing everything, but did not say a word. On the drive home, the salesman couldn't take it any longer, so he asked his manager, "Did you notice anything unusual about my new dog?"
"Sure did," replied the pessimistic sales manager. "He can't swim."
Moral of the story. True sales professionals know that you have to stay focused on your customers at all times in order to succeed at sales. If you come across a big opportunity, don't make a big deal about it. Just do your job and close it. Don't waste your time trying to impress your manager, you could walk on water, and they still wouldn't notice. As far as sales managers are concerned, as a sales rep, you've got a target. Hit that target and you survive. Miss your target and you become one. As a salesperson, if your hunt goes bad, remember to duck.
"Optimism doesn't wait on facts. It deals with prospects. Pessimism is a waste of time." - Norman Cousins
