Given before Representative Sales Manager's Meeting
McCormick Place, Chicago 2003

We have all heard the expression: " If they bring brass knuckles, bring a knife. If they
bring a knife, bring a gun." It speaks clearly to a compelling notion: " In business,
the consequences of losing are painful and sometimes terminal." So how do we as sales consultants and managers choose tools for battle? Are we arming properly trained
and motivated troops on the ground? How do we instill our compelling message within
our troops. How do we become the Great Generals who will lead them into battle? Are
we the leaders who will capture their imaginations, temp their talents, fan their passions
and make them invincible? We are the tutors of their trade, the holders of
experience-forged knowledge and we are obligated to shape, instruct and inspire. This is
no casual responsibility, for if we take these obligations to heart, we understand that we
are ( in no short fashion ) seminal in the development of people's futures -
a great calling in life.

I have a favorite moment in the movie " Gladiator " when Russell Crowe is walking
the line pondering the battle that is near upon he and his army. They know him and he knows them. His economic, salient message to his Captain and men is this,
" Strength and Honor."  This is a marketing slogan supreme! Nothing lost,
all understood. My point is this: " How committed are we to the battle, to our troops
and to what honorable limits are we willing to go. Are we worthy of leading troops into a desperate battle? Do we have their loyalty? Do we deserve their loyalty? Do we see our sales and marketing team on some undefined linear trek where today turns into tomorrow, tomorrow turns into next month and next month turns into next quarter? A death march to the sea. Or, like many sales and marketing organizations, do we carelessly inspire cynicism and doubt in the minds of our troops through mediocrity, micro-management
and dictatorial arrogance. There is no room in sales for cynicism and doubt! Sales is
many things, but it is first and foremost a profession of faith - it requires faith and faith
often falls to cynicism and doubt. I will take 10 ordinary people of faith before I will take
10 brilliant skeptics. Skeptics are fine in the classroom, they are fatal on the
battlefield. Faith binds and skepticism fragments.

Do we, as marketing professionals, see the individual talents and strengths of our team members and exploit them properly ( examples given )?

I do not accept the " realities of the marketplace " argument for poor performance. There
are too many success stories in economic downturns ( examples given ) to accept that argument. Too many historic battles have been won by underdogs and we hear from all corners of time about individuals who rise above crushing odds( examples given ). Sales
is not a JOB like accounting or auto maintenance, it is the essence, the very soul of what America stands for...opportunity. Bill Gates, Chairman of Microsoft, recently made this observation, "Flipping burgers at Burger King is not a dead end job, it is an opportunity." Is it easy for him to say that? Yes. Is it true? ABSOLUTELY!
Sales is the great equalizer: the poor, the under-educated and the handicapped can win
and prosper through their hard work, faith and perseverance. Sales is never a glass half filled, it is always overflowing with expectation
and design. It is our job as marketing professionals to point this out - to glorify it! I solemnly tell you this, against the entire backdrop of history and mankind's tour on this planet, just by being born here ( the United States ) - YOU WON! Think about that. Your worst day is a walk in Heaven for so many who spend their lives without any measure of safety or resource. Thus, your good fortune comes on their backs and you
must be worthy of their pain and misfortune. You have a responsibility to them...you have
to exercise your talents and take your opportunities with utmost enthusiasm. If you
can't do it for yourself, do it for them. I view the acceptance of and gratitude for this wonderful gift called opportunity not in a purely occupational context, rather,
I view it as a flat-out moral issue...

This is part of Mike Quinn's "TOTAL FORCE™" seminar to
sales and marketing managers.