Moving From Models To Mindsets With John Reid

What is mindset? Let’s take a look at how the right mindsets and behaviors affect adult learning and sales conversations.

In this article:

1. Rethinking Sales Conversations, Training, and Coaching Sessions
2. About My Guest — John Reid: President of JMReid Group
3. Models and the Right Mindset: The Baby Picture Phenomenon
4. Writing and Teaching: A Common Mistake in Coaching
5. Learning and Teaching Sales Models
6. Having The Right Mindset When Teaching: Psychology of Success
7. The Right Mindset for Success in Sales
   1. Out-Understand, Not Out-Persuade
   2. Time Is Valuable
   3. Have a Sales Call Objective

Success Mindset | A New Take on Training and Adult Learning

Rethinking Sales Conversations, Training, and Coaching Sessions

Hi, I’m Gabe Larsen, and today we’ll be talking about a different approach to training, coaching, sales conversations, adult learning, and developing a growth mindset. When it comes to these aspects, there’s a better and more efficient way than shoving models down a student’s throat.

Model Definition: In this context, models refer to ideas, training styles, or even the products themselves.

For learning to take place, both the trainer and trainee need to have the proper growth mindset. John Reid, president of JMReid Group, will talk a bit more about the different fixed and growth mindsets in adult learning.

About My Guest — John Reid: President of JMReid Group

John Reid is the president and founder of JMReid Group, and author of Moving from Models to Mindsets: Rethinking the Sales Conversation.

JMReid Group is a training and development organization that specializes in sales effectiveness, process improvement, and leadership. After working with thousands of companies, Reid shares the three key principles to success in the industry:

• Teaching from the Learner’s POV: Reid lives by the motto “context is king.” Students only learn the things they feel would enhance their talents and abilities. Keeping that in mind, trainers, sales managers, and coaches should always ask themselves if the topics they’re teaching are relevant to their students.
• Tapping Into Wisdom: There’s wisdom in the room. As a coach, it’s your job to know how to tap into that wisdom. For learning to happen, coaches need to understand that they can learn something from their students as well. Also, people remember what they say, not what other people say. Interact with students so they understand the lessons you want to impart.
• Design is Important: Models are great, but they’re not strong enough to win any business alone. Reid shares that he won a business against four competitors because he was the only one to talk about design. While the competition focused on explaining why their models were amazing, Reid highlighted the design behind his firm’s proposal.

Models and the Right Mindset: The Baby Picture Phenomenon

Reid shares his experience working with firms. He recalls that a lot of CEOs, sales managers, and big bosses always believed that they have the answer.

While it may be in good faith, people with this mindset instantly become preachers. A preacher can lecture for hours on end without actually relaying the message they want to impart.

For a salesperson or trainer to effectively communicate their message, they need to learn the “baby picture” phenomenon. For example, when you show your child’s picture to someone, you might think that your baby is cute and adorable.

On the other hand, the person you’re speaking to might not feel the same way. To make learning more effective, sales managers need to show them the other student’s baby’s picture.

That means using a model that suits the achievement, success, and mindset of your students. Trainers should change the fixed mindset that their models are universally perfect against students with different types of mindsets.

Rather than forcing your models down a student’s throat, try to understand their mindset, beliefs, and principles. By doing so, you can create a better program which will actually stimulate adult learning.

This especially applies to trainers talking to medium to high-performing salespeople who’re gifted and talented. They might easily take offense if coaches force a certain sales model on them without making an effort to understand their mindset.

Writing and Teaching: A Common Mistake in Coaching

One common problem Reid has observed is the high amount of self-help book authors that host training sessions. He even jokes about how American this phenomenon is.

Reid emphasizes that there’s a great difference between writing a book and creating a training program. In fact, the two are not related and he doesn’t understand why so many Americans think they are.

When you’re writing, you would want someone to know about your ideas. When you’re teaching, you’d want students to learn something valuable.

Remember that a lot of salespeople think highly of themselves. It won’t be that easy to win them over to your side of thinking.

For adult learning to occur, students have to discover it on their own. Through self-discovery, trainees and students can effectively pick up the models and lessons their coaches are teaching them.

This technique applies to both high and low-income students. Having the right mindset will determine the success or failure of the learning process.

Learning and Teaching Sales Models

If models aren’t the key to effective learning, then what is? Sales managers who want to take their sales team to the next level might ask this.

Reid explains that it’s not that models are ineffective learning tools, but that there’s a proper approach to using them. Behind models and behavior are beliefs and mindsets.

If a salesperson believes they’re valuable, then they become a better negotiator. On the other hand, someone who is too scared of their clients might not be able to handle tough negotiations.

The behaviors of a salesperson, how they talk, handle a call, or assess an opportunity, are all fueled by beliefs. Ultimately, beliefs drive the behavior of an individual.

To succeed in training and sales, you need to understand the other party involved. Rather than outperforming the competition, try to understand your clients or students better.

In fact, Reid expresses the importance of understanding the people you work with. While others focused on being the best in presenting their models and mastering persuasion, he strived to understand his clients better.

Remember that persuasion involves a lot of talking. Both clients and students despise talking.

RELATED: What 500 Buyers Say About the Buying Process

Having The Right Mindset When Teaching: Psychology of Success

Reid states that for learning to take place, it’s not enough to understand the beliefs and mindset of your students. The trainers themselves also need to have the right, positive mindset before they start teaching.

Every time Reid steps into a room of trainers, he asks what students need to have for learning to take place. He uses this to gauge the mindset of the people he’s currently talking to.

A lot of people would shout eagerness to learn, teachable, and enthusiasm, among others. In his decade-long career, no one has given the correct answer, which is this: believing that students have insights you don’t have.

Coaching isn’t a session where students simply listen to trainers all day long. In fact, learning occurs when interaction takes place between the parties involved.

Reid states that too many trainers have a fixed mindset that they know everything. Very few would dare acknowledge that their students know something they don’t.

However, Reid expresses that this trainer mindset is very important to stimulate effective adult learning. Instead of going straight to the models, allot the first few meetings to talk about beliefs.

Again, models are important, but they’d need to have the right beliefs and mindset to back them up. Otherwise, these models wouldn’t amount to anything.

Note: Students are not looking for someone who will praise their talent, and it’s not your job to do so. A trainer’s goal should be to replace their false growth mindset with the right success mindset.

No mindset is carved in stone. With the right approach, sales managers and trainers can effectively help their students unlock their true potential.

The Right Mindset for Success in Sales

Models, beliefs, and behavior don’t only apply to adult learning. Salespeople need to learn how and what to think if they want to improve their performance.

Here are three beliefs every high-performing salesperson should have:

1. Out-Understand, Not Out-Persuade

Reid reiterates the importance of understanding your clients better than your competitors can. Salespeople shouldn’t focus too much on persuading, as this often makes them appear too aggressive.

One way to do this is to confirm what you know about the client. For example, Reid and his son often start every presentation with what they know about the business.

Afterward, they’d ask the clients “So, what are we missing? What don’t we know?” Salespeople shouldn’t fear to ask about these types of questions.

In fact, it is through these questions that you can understand exactly what a client is looking for. Rather than pushing the model hard from the get-go, develop the ability to understand your clients’ needs.

By the time they finish telling you about their pain points, their trust in you would have increased exponentially. They’ll think that the only ones who can deliver a proper solution are the people who know them well, which should be you.

This technique is much more effective than simply bragging about your test scores and intelligence. Clients don’t really care for your success in academic achievement; they’re looking for people who can provide solutions.

Note: This may be hard work at first, but salespeople should muster the motivation to go out of their comfort zone and try to understand their clients’ needs better.

2. Time Is Valuable

Do not delay stuff in your negotiation that may cause setbacks. For other people to respect your time, you need to develop the right growth mindset: respecting your own time.

For example, a lot of people postpone giving their rates until the last minute. While there’s a proper time to say the price, Reid shares that he often gives his firm’s rates relatively early into the negotiation process to avoid setbacks.

If they’re good with the numbers, then the deal should proceed smoothly. Alternatively, a client who doesn’t agree with your rates might not be worth pursuing.

Salespeople need to understand that not everyone can afford the rates of their services. Postponing delivering the quotation may only lead to delays and setbacks.

Pro Tip: A cool life hack to schedule meetings faster is to send Outlook invites rather than multiple emails. This increases the chances of you getting that meeting you want.

Plus, it saves both parties a lot of time. There are no back-to-back emails, and it literally takes a few seconds to set the date and time of your meeting.

3. Have a Sales Call Objective

Reid shares that for a sales call to be more effective, salespeople need to have an objective. Calling mindlessly won’t help you reach your quota.

Generally, there are two types of approach to sales calls: the conventional and challenger approach.

• The conventional approach is to ask a question, confirm, and then repeat. This takes up a lot of time and may make your client feel like you’re interviewing them.
• On the other hand, the challenger approach is when you get the insights directly from your client. This speeds up the sales cycle since the client is literally telling you what they want.

After that, you can present the model you feel would suit them best.

Overall, sales managers need to understand the science behind models, beliefs, and having the right mindset if they want to take their team to the next level. Whether it’s to stimulate adult learning or improve sales profits, these are very important areas to explore.

Rather than forcing other people to believe what you’re saying, try to look at things from their point of view. Remember: self-discovery beats persuasion every single time.

Did this help you understand more about which growth mindset can help you better achieve success? If you have any questions, let us know in the comments section below!

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