The sales pro’s pommel horse

Great salespeople are not a dime a dozen; they are rare. Those who take their talents and develop them into strengths are rarer still, but the reality is that they’re also much more successful.”

Jeff Sleete

American Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik, whose only job is competing in the pommel horse event, rocketed to stardom at the Paris Olympics after his routine helped the U.S. men’s gymnastics team rise from an Olympic slump of not medaling since 2008 to take the bronze.

The only member of the team to qualify for an event final was Nedoroscik, whose score of 15.200 on the pommel horse during qualifying rounds tied for first. He ended up with an additional individual bronze medal, becoming just the fourth American man since World War II to win an Olympic medal on the horse.

This gymnast’s story went viral over the internet.

He had one job: the pommel horse. While his teammates competed in several events, Nedoroscik was the “pommel horse guy.” In the team event, there is even footage of him resting with his head back and eyes closed as he waited for his moment.

And when his moment came, he nailed it!

Nedoroscik has no depth perception and is highly sensitive to light due to being born with coloboma and strabismus. His eye conditions have required him to wear eyeglasses and prevented him from having a driver’s license. 

Stephen said he is basically cross-eyed and can [very unusually] switch his dominant eye. Before his routines, Nedoroscik removed his glasses because they would fly off. He performed by muscle memory.

Stephen Nedororscik has a God-given talent with the pommel horse. It’s his gymnastic strength. His four U.S. pommel horse titles are tied for the most in U.S. history.

I believe that you, too, as a sales professional, have a God-given talent, as not everyone can sell. The belief that anyone can sell is a myth. Many people flame out on the wrong career path because only a certain cast of people have the ability to consistently perform well in sales.

Great salespeople are not a dime a dozen; they are rare. Those who take their talents and develop them into strengths are rarer still, but the reality is that they’re also much more successful.

Some sellers think that they must be good at everything to be successful, but that isn’t true!

The best salespeople have innate talents. They have figured out what brings them to the playing field and what their blind spots are. There are some things at which they don’t excel as well as others, but they don't let this deter them. Instead, they zero in on their areas of excellence so they can perform at high levels.

You can only become an outstanding seller by acknowledging and growing upon your strengths.

Usually, people focus on their weaknesses when trying to improve their sales abilities. The best way to become a better salesperson, though, is by maximizing your strengths.

What’s the thing that you do best in sales? Ask yourself, “What am I really good at in the sales process?” Think about what it is and maximize it!

Your strength might be that you are highly personable. Maximize it.

You might be powerful at presenting. Maximize it.

You may negotiate well. Maximize it.

You might be great at asking questions. Maximize it.

You shine as an active listener. Maximize it.

You're good at cold calling or prospecting. Maximize it.

You have effective research skills. Maximize it.

You are good at storytelling. Maximize it.

When you move this way, you’ll feel much better about yourself and your sales craft. And when you feel a lot better, you’ll be stunned at how much more you’ll do.

Jeff Sleete is a 50+ year broadcast industry veteran — sales manager/GM/corporate sales head. He most enjoys helping sales departments position themselves as “mavens” (experts) of business to be more successful at selling advertising. Fundamentally, Jeff is a salesman. Through his media sales consultancy, Sleete Sales Script, he provides a daily road map for sellers of any media outlet type to be more consultative in their approach to their clients and set themselves apart from all their competition. Learn more about Jeff at https://www.sleetesales.com/. Or reach him at  jeff@sleetesales.com.