By: Paul Powers, Induron Sales Representative
Doug Granville’s recent article, Baseball’s Unwritten Rules, explores how our national pastime governs itself in matters like etiquette, respect, character and values that you won’t find in the rule books. He applies it to some life lessons, as well.
I was fortune enough to be able to play competitive baseball in to my early 20’s and have experienced firsthand what Granville describes. Following these “unwritten rules” has carried well-past my playing days and in to my professional life. I feel that it is important that a company and its representatives practice the same type of values, as we do here at Induron, on their own “playing fields.”
“Unwritten Rules make us accountable; they create a sense of ownership and pride in our work.”
Let’s take a look at a few important ones:
- Sportsmanship: It is imperative that the company or representative sell on the merits of their product offerings rather than trying to discredit their opponent. To do otherwise is not only unprofessional, but also makes you look like a fool in the eyes of your client. The features, benefits and performance of your products are the true value to be measured.
- Respect: A true professional understands respect on many different levels. To gain respect from your client is a task that takes honesty, integrity and reliability. Combining those values with product knowledge, field experience and the desire to remain current on industry standards makes you a valued resource and partner. A salesperson will also see a great deal of value from this in networking and referrals. Lastly, let’s not forget that sales representatives are the face of the company that we represent and the respect we gain reflects greatly on our company’s reputation and status in the marketplace.
- Ethics: I was fortunate to learn this unwritten rule early in my career. How many times have we witnessed “That One Guy” or that “One Company” that you knew was creating half-truths or stepping over the line on what they were telling the customer? My blood would boil to lose a project in that situation. The real truth is that people and companies who live with poor ethics don’t last long and lose greatly in the end. Ethical decisions and actions are paramount in developing long-term relationships, customers and market share.
- Safety: It is our duty to embrace the safety culture, especially in the coatings market. Not only to make sure that we make it home safely to our families, but to also ensure that others do. Many people that encounter our products or are on our project sites, may not have the same knowledge that we have. As good stewards of our industry, we must report unsafe practices, be prepared with the proper equipment needed to perform the task we have been asked to do, and not to assume anything when it comes to our own protection.
Clearly, there are many more “unwritten rules” and business values out there. Feel free to comment back on this blog, we would appreciate you joining the conversation!