Every Conversation Is Another Piece

When you hand someone a box of puzzle pieces, where do you tell them to start?

I worked from the library a couple of times this week. They have some study rooms with closing doors, so I can get out of my house and still take calls without being “that guy.” In a way, it’s like a tax-subsidized co-working space.

There was a community puzzle set out on a countertop between the study rooms and the restroom. I haven’t seen them do this before, but I had to pass it on my way to the restroom.

For all of the metaphors I use about puzzles and the selling process, I’m not usually into them. For one reason or another, this one captivated me, and I definitely lingered longer than I ever would have expected during my breaks.

The idea that stuck with me was the role of context.

You start with five hundred pieces spread across a table. As pieces are placed, there is more context for where each remaining piece should go. All of a sudden, these pieces that don't look like they belong anywhere become a perfect fit, and you don't realize it until they’re placed. Like, “how in the world did I not see that?” 

On the heels of last week’s piece, this is what good mentorship is.

When you are training, onboarding, or teaching somebody any kind of skill, the more context and specifics you can give them, the better they will understand how it all fits.

Give someone some product training, promo materials, a few books, even an online course, and you have all the pieces on the table. Until they get in the field, there really isn’t any context for how to use them.

Then they frame the puzzle. They start seeing different elements of the picture and work to fill those portions out. The bigger picture comes together because of the smaller ones, and you start to see how each one relates to the others.

Finally, the last few pieces are just there to fill in the gaps and make the whole thing look tidy and polished.

We know how to do puzzles because we all went to kindergarten. Someone gave us the rubric.

For some reason, many professionals (especially salespeople) are expected to develop their own rubric. “I figured it out, so she can too.” 

I think that’s a very expensive mindset.

Selling is a craft more than a set of skills to be learned. Our profession is an apprenticeship. We don’t need more training. We need to spend more time together, learning from people who have already put enough pieces in place to help you see where yours might go.

Are you creating enough time and space to intentionally learn from other people? Every conversation is another piece to the puzzle.

Jeff Bajorek is a sales consultatnt who helps sales teams design and implement their sales strategies with a focus on the fundamentals, and by noticing what others don't.

Website: www.jeffbajorek.com