A few years ago, I was invited to go on a Segway tour of Washington, D.C.  Having never been on a Segway before, I was a bit anxious, but I didn’t really have a choice.  I had auctioned off the ten-person tour for a charity, and part of the package was for me to attend.  I was stuck, so when I showed up, I was hoping to entertain the group.  I was also hoping not to break my neck on that crazy Segway.

We were given a short class on how to ride and operate our Segway.  Our instructor immediately calmed many of our fears down, convincing us that anyone could learn how to ride a Segway, and quickly.  He was right, and we were all surprised at how rapidly we were able to master the skills necessary for our three-hour tour around the city. One of the final things he said was to assure us how safe a Segway was, and that he would not allow us to continue if he didn’t believe we were ready to go.  At that point, his eyes narrowed a bit and he told us this: “Stay vigilant regarding the conversations we’ve had about safety, and please remember that the most dangerous part of our trip together is not now, but at the very end of our trip.  The reason for that is that you will have a false sense of security, and you will be vulnerable to losing your focus and being reckless.”  I locked eyes with one of the other riders, exchanged a quick, quizzical, “he’s not talking about me look,” and away we Segway-ed! True to form, we began our journey, excited and eager to put our newfound training into action; we were cautious, and focused, just like we had been taught.

If you’ve never been on a Segway, do yourself a favor and give it a try, because I can’t remember when I enjoyed a tour of a city more, particularly one I thought I knew well. We started out in a perfect formation, zipping here and there, and stopping to see this and that.  Within an hour, our formation wasn’t quite as perfect as it had been, and our focus was slipping a bit, but in all fairness, we were getting pretty good at that Segway thing!  Our driving record remained perfect… until the last 15 minutes when, almost on cue, one Segway rider hit a tree, one slipped off a curb, and two more were involved in a collision with each other.  What a coincidence – or was it?  After all, we had been warned.

The moral of this story is not a unique one.  It’s quite common to meticulously prepare for activities and events when we aren’t sure we are ready.  We take our preparation seriously, and we maintain focus.  Ironically, we may very well be at our best when we think we are at our worst.  Then, much like that Segway, as our skill level goes up, our attention to detail goes down, and we are at our most vulnerable.  For instance:

• A weary nation continues to cope with a pandemic. Scientists have  not only told us what to do to stay safe, but they have also discovered a vaccine to help us end this crisis.  With an end in sight and news of increased numbers of cases logic would state that now would be the time to be even more diligent about the safety precautions we take… and yet, for many, attention to detail has gone down, and we have never been more vulnerable.
• You’ve worked hard to identify a prospect. You’ve meticulously put together a proposal, engaged in multiple conversations, and earned the right to work with a new client. With a contract in hand, logic would state that now would be the time to triple your efforts to exceed expectations… and yet, for many, with the intensity of the chase complete, attention to detail goes down, and we become vulnerable.
• You’ve worked hard on a project that required meticulous planning, preparation, and execution, and you were up for the task at every turn. With the project up and running successfully, logic would state that now would be the time to leave your stamp. You want everyone to remember you with a powerful wrap-up and follow-up… and yet, for many, our attention wanes, our focus shifts to the next project, and we are once again vulnerable.

As a distance runner, I was taught to run strongly and to finish strongly by always running through the finish line. The reality is that it’s the very end when races are won or lost.  Watch a football game, or listen to those who play the game, and you’ll see the most dangerous time on the field is not the beginning or middle of a play, but right near the end of the play.  Once again, that’s when athletes tend to let up, lose focus, and get injured.  This doesn’t have to happen to you.  Run through the tape, play until the whistle blows, keep wearing a mask, and for goodness sakes, work with your clients until you’ve been able to conclude whatever has been agreed upon. Make sure you don’t let up until the job is completely done, and everything has been signed, sealed, and delivered!

Want to listen to this BLArticle® read by the author?  Tune in to “Pocket Sized Pep Talks” and you’ll hear a collection of BLArticles®, conversations, and interviews updated often! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pocket-sized-pep-talks/id1497772972

I’ve appeared on the “Small Business Advocate Show” with Jim Blasingame for almost 20 years now, and you’ll find dozens of our conversations on his website.  We just sat down last week for a great conversation about selling fundamentals and the strategic use of stories.  Here’s a link to over 100 interviews done over the years, including my most recent interview that explores the power of journaling. https://www.smallbusinessadvocate.com/small-business-experts/rob-jolles-134

We posted a video series on delivering amazing online presentations with my friend, Jeremy Webb.  We go over some great stuff including:

• How to Select the Best Equipment for Online Presentations
• Pro Tips for Sustaining Interest in Online Presentations
• How to Look Like a Pro!
• Public Speaking Anxiety Tip
• Virtual Office Setup for Online Presentations

You’ll find the whole playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRO7BsBDl6oL-6ZPW3O01x-g5PiR38ljL

I sat down for an interview with one of my favorite podcasters, Jay Izso, on his show, “A New Direction.”  We sat down for a little over an hour and went at it!  If you’re presenting online, you’ll want to hear this interview. Normally, I sit down for a few minutes… but not with Jay. We go over a LOT of helpful hints here!  Here is the direct link to that interview:

https://jizso.net/and113

I joined @Dan Englander on The Digital Agency Growth Podcast where we talked about transitioning from in-person to teleconference sales. Some topics we covered:

• Why sales is a transferable skill but marketing is domain-centric.
• The important consistencies and differences in teleconference sales.
• Why objections are good.
• Why product knowledge is overrated.(Don’t shoot the messenger!)
• My Three P’s of sales performance.

I was recently interviewed on the “Salesman Podcast,” which was a lot of fun. If you’re looking to Change Minds, check out this podcast: https://www.salesman.org/the-simple-step-by-step-process-to-influence-anyone-with-rob-jolles/

I loved talking about the book, Why People Don’t Believe You on a podcast that I’m sure you’ll like called Onward Nation: https://predictiveroi.com/podcasts/rob-jolles/

After 30+ years as a professional speaker and trainer, one of the most common questions I get is this: “How do we make sure the training sticks?”  Take a moment and listen to this podcast; “SalesChats” with John Golden.  If you want to know why most training fails, listen up! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR3dDOlTK7U&list=FLxBXKhqz0xBwbUPMqNthAJA&index=2&t=1293s