sion that it is better to sink with the truth than it is to float with a lie. The
stock market troubles of 2002 are a macrocosmic picture of what happens
to client trust when CEOs and companies like Enron decide to sell per-
ceptions rather than realities.
It is best to practice absolute honesty for at least two reasons.
1.We respect ourselves more when we do. Misrepresentation chips away
at our dignity and eventually draws us into poor company.- We gain the respect of others. People can and will tolerate the truth,
but they will not tolerate deception. They may not like what we tell
them, but they will respect our integrity for standing by the truth.
In the simple logic of one retired sales pro, “Once you lose trust, you
lose. Period.” Honesty not only makes you more trustworthy but more lik-
able as well.
Constantly Pushing
“The decision-making process takes time. I wish it didn’t take
as much time in our organization as it does, but there’s not much
I can do to hasten the process. The vendors who shoot themselves
in the foot with me are those who keep calling when I have noth-
ing to tell them. They are in such a hurry and are so impatient that
they end up being an annoyance, and I begin to question whether
I even want to put up with their pushiness.”—Regina Q., Director
of PurchasingPushiness is a great turnoff and an emotional time bomb for those get-
ting pushed. It may be one too many closing phone calls, an overly eager
tone of voice, or insensitivity to a client’s normal selling cycle. Some call it
bully tactics, and others call it annoying, but most of us would agree that it
is time to look for a place to hide (and are thankful for caller ID) when it
comes to dealing with the pushy salesperson.
Pushy individuals lack the emotional competencies of both awareness
and empathy—hence the ill-guided, bulldozing approach toward getting
things done. They often seem oblivious to others’ agendas, stresses, time
lines, and concerns. They demand quick and instantaneous resolution to
every impediment and have the illusion that applying “push” to the right
person will get the deal done. Pushy professionals eventually wear down
their clients and lose opportunities. And, because they lack awareness, they
blame others for their failures.
The “Likability” Quotient 209