I have a beautiful fountain in my rear yard that I look at everyday; in fact I am gazing at it right now. It is a simple 3’ basalt stone that water bubbles out from the top and cascades back down only to be recycled into the same constant motion. I run this fountain all year long including the months of sub freezing temperatures. A lot of people express their concern when I tell them this as they are concerned that the fountain will freeze up and get damaged, but I know one simple principle about water that most people don’t seem to be aware of. Moving water doesn’t freeze. What I get in the winter time is an amazing ice sculpture that encapsulates my fountain as it continues to offer beauty in both motion and architecture. The ice that is formed is where the splash from the fountain settles into the frozen air, but it never freezes completely. Actually, if I did turn off my fountain, it would freeze over and damage all of the mechanics causing more problems then if I were to keep it running. So, again, moving water doesn’t freeze, but what does any of this have to do with sales, leadership and overall professionalism?
Moving salespeople don’t freeze. I also know this to be true. We all have our slow periods whether it is the normal cycle of our business or just plain rotten luck and, if we’re being honest, sometimes we give thought to quitting and moving on to something else. And sometimes our fantasies tap into our instincts and we stop moving; we begin to freeze up and settle into a sense of hopelessness. That fact is that you will encounter challenges and disappointments but you must always work through the problem. Moving water for us is an elemental sales activity such as talking to people and getting noticed. I know it doesn’t always seem like much, but it keeps our fountain of success from freezing. Don’t stop if you’re stuck because I can promise you that whatever it is that you’re dealing with is only short term and you have what it takes to get through it. So the next time things are going your way, remember, moving water doesn’t freeze, and here are 5 extra tips.
