Sales Strategy
Be A Leader | October 11, 2016 (0 comments)
Miami, FL--Do you realize that most highly successful bosses for the most part are introverts at heart?
It’s not easy to become a boss. You must learn to take charge and from most of what I have been researching, it usually does not go well in the beginning.
Power is much more than money. You must understand that power is not power if you don’t embrace it. If someone isn’t steering the ship, it can be a recipe for chaos! Here are a few suggestions on how to “navigate” that boat.
1) Have those hard conversations with your associates. You must address uncomfortable topics and too often we avoid saying the things that really need to be said. The problem with that is two fold: a) it wastes tons of time in a work environment, and b) it puts unnecessary stress and strain on everyone involved.
Approach these topics right away. Don’t waste time worrying and thinking about what the answer will be or what you are going to say. Whether the conversation is asking for a raise or telling your employees that he or she is not doing a good job or telling a co-worker that he or she offended you. These difficult conversations often solve the problem on the spot. Just be sure to be respectful on every level.
2) Act as though you belong in the room. Whether you are sitting with a “big” CEO of a company or visiting the lowest person on the totem pole, behave like you fit, in any situation or space. Why shouldn’t you feel comfortable in any department? There is nothing worse than going into a meeting where you are visibly nervous. If the people you work with see that you are hesitant and uncomfortable they will feel that you are unsure and they may in fact doubt your leadership. You know the saying: “It starts at the top!”
3) Own your power and your mistakes. Leadership is useless if you’re not willing to lead. It doesn’t always come naturally. Your first big lesson as a leader is not to fear mistakes. Second is not to regret them when something goes wrong. If things get off track, treat that obstacle as a way to move in a different direction instead of thinking of it as a stop sign.
4) Realize that there is no secret recipe. Everyone always thinks someone else knows something that they don’t. FOMO! (Fear Of Missing Out) Trust me, after 38 years in this industry I know none of us have all the answers. Remember that what you learn is mostly opinions, which may or may not work for you. The reality is that there is nothing that we really “know.” People in high positions are often thought of as “knowing it all.” But in reality, they are working hard everyday, just like all of us.
If you step back and take a look, you will see that we are all working with the same tools. So, take chances, believe in yourself and go for it!
Here comes the Selling Season! --Andie
Andie Weinman, president and CEO of Preferred Jewelers International / Continental Buying Group Inc., was born with the “Jewelry Gene” working in the jewelry industry since she was only ten years old. Her first job was as a cashier in the opening of a catalog showroom doing a fantastic job even at that tender age. Andie holds a B.A. in musical theatre and a B.S. in marine biology from The University of Tampa. When she realized that seawater and marine biology were not good on her hair and she wasn’t quite good enough to make it on Broadway, the jewelry business beckoned. Andie has picked diamonds, sorted color stones, shot waxes and performed a multitude of jobs in the manufacturing of jewelry. Her negotiating experience and prowess has given her the reputation as being tough but fair in her dealings with vendors. In 2012 the Indian Diamond and Color Association awarded Andie the Prestigious Doyenne Award of the Year.