The most difficult time to step up and muster confidence is in a stressful moment, those occasional few minutes when all eyes are on you and your entire future seems at stake. In these critical moments, you can either freeze or choose to act.
When I worked at Commerce One, a technology company that helped large corporations build electronic marketplaces to buy and sell products, the economy was booming and the company had more prospective clients than it could handle. Large, multimillion-dollar companies wanted to meet with our sales team. Prospective clients would come into our offices and, hour after hour, someone from our company would speak to them about our various capabilities: the executive vice president of marketing spoke about corporate strategy; the executive vice president of technology would talk about our software and architecture; and the executive vice president of consulting services would talk about how to implement and deploy the software. Because we were swamped with sales opportunities, and numerous sales cycles were unfolding simultaneously, the company desperately needed other employees to jump in and assist with sales presentations.
On day, while I was working at an East Coast customer site, my department’s vice president, Andy, called and asked me to talk about Commerce One’s consulting process to one of our largest prospects. He not only wanted me to present our project management approach, an area that was my specialty, but other areas as well—the development cycle, training, and supplier connectivity. The proposition was intimidating because the target client was a consortium made up of Compaq, HP, Hitachi, Samsung, and other major technology corporations. I was petrified at the thought of presenting. So much was at stake. Acquiring this high-profile client would give our young company a new level of credibility. If there was any deal Commerce One wanted, this was it. Initially, I thought, “No way!” No way could I stand in front of executives from the world’s top technology companies to sell a technology solution, What if the prospective clients asked me a question I could not answer? There I’d be, looking incompetent in front of everyone, The vision got worse: What if I said something that damaged or contradicted the message our salesperson had already positioned and, as a result, I ruined the sales cycle? Then, of course, I’d be blamed as the reason my company lost the big deal, and naturally, I’d get canned.
In my head, we had already lost the sale, and I had lost my job.
Then I pulled myself back to reality. It was a reality in which I was familiar with the material, a reality in which I knew my company well, and a reality in which I was an effective public speaker. It was also a reality in which I believed in myself and was always looking for challenging opportunities to grow. With that reality in mind, I cleared my head of all negative “what ifs” and refocused on the positive “what ifs.”
What if I did a fantastic job and helped close the deal?
What if I impressed 50-plus technology executives, who then wanted me to be in charge of the project?
What if I impressed executives at Commerce One that I did not yet know, and they sent accolades to my management?
I accepted the assignment and took the risk because I recognized this was a new opportunity to shine, and I could visualize myself shining.
The up-shot: The company did seal an initial deal thanks to a combination of people’s efforts. While I had many sleepless nights and busy, anxiety-filled days preparing for my presentation, my positive “what ifs” panned out. I went on to do additional presentations for many large deals, which in turn led to many e-mails and company meetings where I significantly contributed to successful projects and was recognized for my efforts. Because of that one big risk, I went from being just a consultant to a “star consultant,” and that year I was named consultant of the year. I went from being a project manager who a few people knew delivered well behind the scenes, to someone who was known companywide as a strong performer.
What it takes: Step up with confidence in the moment because a single event can springboard your career. Prepare for it, and envision yourself succeeding.
(See Amy Henry speak at the next Move Ahead 1 seminar on March 22 at the Holiday Inn in Edison, NJ! Call 732-202-3599 for tickets and information on exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities.)
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