Take a Risk
In 1987, I was 25 years old, straight out of the management training program; I had moved to Atlanta as a warehouse supervisor. We were an 8-person branch office and our branch manager, Brian Black had moved back from Asia to run the branch.
One day I mentioned to Brian that a client’s goods that we trans-loaded every week were marked for Charlotte, North Carolina but we sent then for clearance and final destination to Charleston.
It seemed to me that the customer could save money and time if they consolidated their shipments, shipped the goods and cleared them directly in Charlotte. I suggested that our sales representative look into this option and discuss it with the customer.
Brian looked at me and said ,“I like the idea. It makes a lot of sense to me. It’s your idea. You put it together and make the sales call with the sales rep.”
And I did.
I’m sure it wasn’t the smoothest sales call and I’m positive it wasn’t the best sales presentation. But the customer implemented our solution and was able to realize savings and get their goods to market faster. And this customer grew with our company and trusted our solutions. I’d like to think this event had a little to do with that.
And I learned a valuable lesson – and it wasn’t about sales. The lesson I learned from Brian is that you take risks on people, let them get better by holding them accountable, letting them flounder about a bit. It would have been so easy for Brian to take the idea, get a seasoned salesperson to sell it and not risk a growing high-potential client. But he took a chance on me, and he gave me all the credit and I would have jumped through fire for him after that; and he taught me that leadership is about motivation, about developing people, about believing in their potential, about risk-taking.
Thanks, Brian
One day I mentioned to Brian that a client’s goods that we trans-loaded every week were marked for Charlotte, North Carolina but we sent then for clearance and final destination to Charleston.
It seemed to me that the customer could save money and time if they consolidated their shipments, shipped the goods and cleared them directly in Charlotte. I suggested that our sales representative look into this option and discuss it with the customer.
Brian looked at me and said ,“I like the idea. It makes a lot of sense to me. It’s your idea. You put it together and make the sales call with the sales rep.”
And I did.
I’m sure it wasn’t the smoothest sales call and I’m positive it wasn’t the best sales presentation. But the customer implemented our solution and was able to realize savings and get their goods to market faster. And this customer grew with our company and trusted our solutions. I’d like to think this event had a little to do with that.
And I learned a valuable lesson – and it wasn’t about sales. The lesson I learned from Brian is that you take risks on people, let them get better by holding them accountable, letting them flounder about a bit. It would have been so easy for Brian to take the idea, get a seasoned salesperson to sell it and not risk a growing high-potential client. But he took a chance on me, and he gave me all the credit and I would have jumped through fire for him after that; and he taught me that leadership is about motivation, about developing people, about believing in their potential, about risk-taking.
Thanks, Brian
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