“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
– John Wooden, legendary basketball coach and shaper of young men’s characters
Does it matter what other people think? Sure, I guess so. I care what Jodi thinks and what The Three Who Will Not Be Tamed think. I care what the guys in my Men’s Group think, and what my sister thinks. I care what those closest to me think, but they also know that I’m gonna pretty much be who I am.
When it comes down to being liked or respected, sometimes we have to choose, and when we do, the people that matter most will, more often than not, choose to rely on the people they respect the most, unless they’re just completely unlikeable.
My dear friend Kyle Ratliff often reminds me, “Heston,” he’ll say, “people buy from people they know, like and trust.” I don’t think he’s completely right — I think presence matters, too — and I know he’s not at all wrong. In fact, we see it day in and day out with our clients, our friends, and the people we serve with — at church, on the Parent’s Committee, youth sports — you name it. The more time we spend face-to-face with them, deepening relationships and building trust, the shorter the sales cycles, the better the deals, the deeper the connections — for all concerned.
I guarantee you, though, that if you could force your customers to choose one of the three – know, like or trust – they’d choose “trust.”
And trust is built from presence, and from consistency of character – a track record of “being real.” A track record of authentic engagement.
The stuff that makes a difference…
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