And if you are a manager or leader in your company, don’t fall into the common trap that has some managers “joining” in…thinking it gives them “street cred” with the people they manage. It doesn’t work. It only gives your associates permission to continue a behavior that will do nothing but decrease your opportunity to succeed.

Need some healing yourself? One exercise that will help you avoid negativity and complaints is to remove your watch and place it on your other wrist each time you say something negative. You will get so sick of removing that watch that you will eventually stop the negativity. If you can go 20 days without removing your watch, congratulations, you are healed!

Brian Sullivan, CSP teaches salespeople and leaders how to positively influence everybody they meet. To download Brian’s free E-Book of his popular 20 Days to the Top Sales Program, go to www.preciseselling.com.

Let’s not overcomplicate this. In sales, there are only two ways to get better results. The first is to make more sales calls. The second is to perform better on each call.  So how many prospecting calls do you make each week? And as an FYI, “It depends,” is NOT an acceptable answer. Because those that say, “It depends,” or “I am not really sure,” have lost control over their sales territory and as a result, are at the mercy of whatever voicemail and email are telling them to do. The top performer, on the other hand, sets a call objective number and let’s that number drive the workweek. If he or she wants to increase their sales by 15% or more, they realize it means they may have to make 15 more calls. They then let that number haunt them. They don’t start the weekend until they made the last call.

Another way 15% more effort can create 15% greater performance is by investing in improving your sales, communication and leadership skills. Buy a sales book, attend a seminar, seek out top performers in your company and grill them! By increasing your knowledge and skill by 15% or more, you will become 15% more valuable to your customers, your company and your future.

A previous guest on my weekly radio program was Stephanie Frank. Stephanie is the author of the best-selling book, The Accidental Millionaire. Of course, I asked Stephanie the question, “How on earth do you get to be a millionaire…accidentally?” Her answer can be summed up in two words…systems and processes. After hearing those words, I felt like I was transported back to my childhood dinner table where Mom was telling me that if I was going to grow up to be big and strong, I would have to eat my green beans. (It didn’t work by the way.)

So what is it about systems and processes that scares so many of us? Is it the fear that we will somehow be dehumanized as every ounce of individual creativity is sucked from our brains? Take salespeople and managers, for example. My greatest challenge as a speaker on sales, communications and leadership is trying to convince my fellow A.D.D-ers (as in Attention Deficit Disorder) that process is not only a good thing, but it is essential to becoming a top performer. Because when you add process to the way you sell, coach or lead others, you can then make subtle “improvements in your game” because you can look back on the process and pick specific areas to improve.

So this week, think of a critical ingredient of your job that you would love to do better…repeatably. Then create a system or process on paper, keep it visible for 20 Days and commit to the process. If you don’t know how to create your own, then “steal” one from somebody who already has a good one. While I can’t guarantee you will be a millionaire in 20 Days, I can guarantee the amazing success that will follow will be no accident!

To listen to Brian’s educational and entertaining interview with author Stephanie Frank go to www.preciseselling.com/Radio.htm.